Midrash su Isaia 47:6

(Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh.” Why do the plagues come?⁵⁰Cf. Lev. R. 17:3. Because of harlotry. And so you find in Jerusalem, that because they were absorbed in harlotry, they were afflicted with leprosy. What is written there (in Is. 3:16)? “Moreover, the Lord said, ‘Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with extended neck [and roving eyes] ….’” What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do to them? He struck them with leprosy, as stated (in vs. 17), “And the Lord will smite with sores (sph) the scalps of the daughters of Zion.” Smite with sores (sph) must mean "with leprosy," since it is stated (with reference to leprosy in Lev. 13:2), “a swelling or a sore (rt.: sph) […].” Hence it says (Lev. 13: 2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh a swelling or a sore (rt.: sph) […. (Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh a swelling or a sore or a bright spot, and it becomes… the plague of leprosy.”] The verse is speaking about [the four] empires.⁵¹Lev. R. 15:9. The swelling (s't) represents Babylon, since it is stated (in Is. 14:4), “And you shall take up (ns't) this song of scorn against the king of Babylon….” The sore (rt.: sph) represents Media, because Haman conspired (rt.: sph) with Ahasuerus (Esth. 3:18), “to devastate, kill, and destroy.” The bright spot represents the Greek empire, because it “lorded” it (rt.: bhr) over Israel and said, “Whoever has an ox, let him write on the horns of the ox that he has no share in the God of Israel.” ⁵²So also Lev. R. 15:9; Gen. R. 2:4; cf. 16:4. And if [they did] not [do so], they would sentence them to death. The plague of leprosy represents the empire of Edom (i.e., of Rome), because the Holy One, blessed be He, afflicted it and its guarding angel with leprosy, as stated (in Jer. 46:15), “Why has abbireka been washed away? Because the Lord has pushed him away.”⁵³See Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 3:19, and the note there. In the world to come the Holy One, blessed be He, shall sit in judgment over the empire of Edom. He will say to them, “Why did you oppress My children?” They will say, “Was it not You that delivered them into our hands?” Then the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to them, “Because (to paraphrase Is. 47:6) I delivered them into your hands, did you [see fit to] not show them mercy?” [Instead (according to Is. 47:6, cont.),] “upon the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.” This [aged one] is Rabbi Aqiva, whom the empire oppressed, [the empire] which has no end.⁵⁴Gen. R. 13:5. Another interpretation (of Is. 47:6, cont.), “upon the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy”: Because they made their yoke as heavy on the aged as upon the youth. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Babylon, “By your life, I am sitting over you in judgment to judge you and convict you.” Thus it is stated (in Is. 47:1), “Come down and sit upon the dust, O maiden daughter of Babylon; sit on the earth, not a throne.” Since she formerly sat upon a throne, now [she is told,] “Sit on the earth, not a throne; (Is. 47:1, cont.) for you shall no more be called [tender and delicate].” What shall I do to you? I will exact retribution from your guarding angel first and smite him with leprosy. Then after that, I will exact retribution from you. You should not say, “On this empire [only]”; but even upon Gog, since he vaunts himself upward in the world. I will smite him with leprosy, as stated (in Zech. 14:12) “And this shall be the plague [with which the Lord will smite all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem]: their flesh shall rot away while they stand on their feet.” For what reason? Because they engaged in battle with Israel. And so is it stated (Zech 14:12), “and this shall be the plague,” because they came against Israel. And do not be surprised, as behold the Lord exacts heavy retribution in leprosy from those who hate them even in this world. And who was [such a one]? This was Naaman, of whom it is stated (in II Kings 5:1), “Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram…; but the man, though a valiant warrior, was a leper.” For what reason was he a leper? Because he had taken a little girl captive from the Land of Israel. In this world He struck the idolaters with leprosy. And also in the world to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will afflict them with leprosy, as stated (in Zech. 14:12), “And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will smite ….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Because you have called my children unclean, I am making you unclean with a great uncleanness through leprosy.” Where is it shown that they called Israel unclean? Where it is stated (in Lam. 4:15) “Away, unclean, they cried at them….” [So] you will be leprous and impure, but Israel, I will sanctify, purify, and redeem them from among you, as stated (in Is. 62:12), “And they shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called, sought out, a city not forsaken.” So also King Solomon has said (in Cant. 4:7), “You are beautiful all over, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you.”

[Another interpretation] (of Lev. 13:2): WHEN ANYONE HAS ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH A SWELLING (S'T) OR A SORE OR A BRIGHT SPOT, < AND IT BECOMES > … THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY. < The verse > is speaking about four empires.⁷⁰Tanh., Lev. 11; Lev. R. 15:9. The SWELLING represents Babylon, since it is stated (in Is. 14:4): AND YOU SHALL TAKE UP (NS'T) THIS SONG OF SCORN AGAINST THE KING OF BABYLON AND SAY…. The SORE (rt.: SPH) represents Media, because Haman conspired (rt.: SPH) with Ahasuerus to devastate, kill, and destroy. The BRIGHT SPOT represents the Greek empire.⁷¹According to the parallel in Tanh., Lev. 11, the BRIGHT SPOT (rt.: BHR) represents Greece because that empire “lorded” it (rt.: BHR) over Israel and said: Whoever has an ox, let him write on the horns of the ox that he has no share in the God of Israel.” So also Lev. R. 15:9; Gen. R. 2:4; cf. 16:4. THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY represents the wicked empire of Edom (i.e., of Rome), because the Holy One afflicted it and its prince with leprosy, as stated (in Jer. 46:15): WHY HAS ABBIREKA BEEN WASHED AWAY?….⁷²See above, Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 3:19, and the note there. In the world to come the Holy One shall sit in judgment over the wicked empire. He will say to them: Why did you oppress my children? They will say: It was you that acted, when you delivered them into our hands. Then the Holy One will say to them: Because (to paraphrase Is. 47:6) I delivered them into your hands, did you not show them mercy? Instead (according to Is. 47:6, cont.): UPON THE AGED YOU MADE YOUR YOKE EXCEEDINGLY HEAVY. This < aged one > is Rabbi Aqiva, whom the empire oppressed, < the empire > which has no end.⁷³Gen. R. 13:5.

(Bamidbar 11:16) "And the L-rd said to Moses: Gather unto Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, etc.": Why (is this mentioned here)? Because Moses had said "I cannot bear alone," the L-rd responded: What you have requested, I have granted. "Gather unto Me": that the Sanhedrin be in My name. Wherever "unto Me" is written, the understanding is "forever." The Cohanim — (Shemot 28:41) "that they minister unto Me." The Levites — (Bamidbar 8:14) "and the Levites shall be unto Me." Israel — (Vayikra 25:35) "For unto Me are the children of Israel servants." The first-born — (Bamidbar 8:17) "For unto Me are all the first-born of the children of Israel." The sanctuary — (Shemot 25:8) "And let them make unto Me a sanctuary." The altar — (Ibid. 20:24) "An altar of earth shall you make unto Me." The oil of anointment — (Ibid. 30:31) "Holy oil of anointment shall this be unto Me." The kings — (I Samuel 16:1) "For I have seen among his sons a king unto Me." The offerings — (Bamidbar 28:2) "to sacrifice unto Me in its appointed time." Unto Me, then, always connotes "forever." (Bamidbar, Ibid. 16) "seventy men": There must be seventy in a Sanhedrin. "seventy men": They must be wise, strong, senior, and well-versed in the magic arts. "from the elders of Israel": Not in (only) one or two places does the L-rd accord honor to the elders, but in every place that you find, He does so, viz. (Shemot 3:16) "Go and assemble the elders of Israel, etc.", (Ibid. 24:1) "And to Moses He said: Ascend to the L-rd, you and Aaron and Nadav and Avihu and seventy of the elders of Israel," (Ibid. 14) "And to the elders He said: Wait for us here until we return to you," (Vayikra 9:1) "And it was on the eighth day that Moses called to Aaron and to his sons and to the elders of Israel" — Wherever you find elders, you find the L-rd according honor to the elders. R. Shimon b. Yochai says: Whence do you derive that it will also be thus in time to come? From (Isaiah 24:23) "And the moon will be shamed and the sun abashed. For the L-rd of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and He will accord His elders honor." Now does it not follow a fortiori, viz.: If He who spoke and brought the world into being is destined to accord honor to the elders, how much more so should creatures of flesh and blood honor them! And thus do you find that the L-rd is aggrieved over (the suffering of) one elder over and against all of Israel, viz. (Ibid. 47:6) "I have fumed against My people; I have profaned My heritage, etc." The L-rd, as it were, "pardons" everything, but (Ibid.) "You have weighed your yoke exceedingly upon the elder" (i.e., this cannot be pardoned). (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "whom you know to be the elders of the people": You must know that they are "select" men. "that they are the elders of the people": We are hereby taught that one is not elected to sit in council until people tend to speak in praise of him, viz.: "That man is upright and pious and wise and fit to sit in council." "and its officers": those of whom it is written (Shemot 5:19) "And the officers of the children of Israel saw them in their plight." Since they saw themselves as involved in their plight, let them come and share in their welfare. (Devarim, Ibid.) "And you shall take them to the tent of meeting": He said to them. "Take them" with words first, with words of praise, viz.: How fortunate you are to have been selected (for this honor) — and then "hard" words: Know that they are importunate and recalcitrant. Take them on this condition, that they will curse you and stone you. And stipulate the same to them. "And have them stand there with you": Take them in with you to the tent of meeting, and let all of Israel deport themselves to them with awe and fear and honor, as they do with you. And let them say: How beloved are these, who have entered with Moses to hear the word of the Holy One Blessed be He!

R. Nechemiah says: The G-d who made you "profane" (chullin) in the eyes of all men, when you do not occupy yourselves with Torah, viz. (Isaiah 47:6) "I have profaned (chillati) My inheritance."