Midrash su Michea 5:78

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

Rabba b. b. Chana, in the name of R. Jochanan, quoting R. Juda b. Ilai, said: "A time will come when the Romans will fall into the hands of Persia. We can infer this through the rule of a fortiori; if the Chaldeans fell into the hands of the Persians, because they destroyed the first Temple, which was built only by the children of Shem, how much more should it apply to the second Temple, built by the Persians themselves, that the destroyers should fall into the hands of the Persians!" Rab, however, said: "On the contrary, a time will come when Persia will fall into the hands of the Romans." Whereupon R. Cahana and R. Assi said (in surprise) to Rab: "The builders [of the Temple] should fall under the dominion of those who have destroyed it?" "Yea," answered he, "such is the decree of the king." Others say that he replied: "The Persians are also guilty of having destroyed a place of worship." We have also a Baraitha to the same effect: A time will come when Persia will fall into the hands of the Romans, first because the former destroyed a place of worship, and secondly, because such is the decree of the king: that the builders [of the Temple] should fall under the dominion of those who have destroyed it, for R. Juda, in the name of Rab, said: "Messiah, the son of David, will not arrive until Rome shall have had dominion over the entire world nine months, as it is said( Micah 5, 2) Therefore He will give them up until the time that she who travaileth hath brought forth; then shall the remnant of his brethren return with the children of Israel."

Another matter: “The elite of Persia and Media” – sometimes Media precedes Persia and sometimes Persia precedes Media. When the throne is in Media, Persia is secondary to it; when the throne is in Persia, Media is secondary to it. [Regarding] Persia, why do they call it Persia [Paras]? Because it received hegemony in pieces [perusot] [non-consecutively], once in the days of Terada, once in the days of Adarkian, and once in the future; that is what is written: “This shall be peace: When Assyria will come into our land and when it will tread in our palaces...”²¹The midrash understands Assyria in the verse to refer to Persia. (Micah 5:4). [Regarding] Media, why do they call it Media [Madai]? Because they acknowledge [modaya] the Holy One blessed be He. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: The kings of Media were upright, and the Holy One blessed be He has nothing against them other than the idolatry that was bequeathed to them by their ancestors.

“From on high He sent fire into my bones, and He crushed them; He spread a net for my feet, He turned me back. He rendered me desolate, suffering all day” (Lamentations 1:13).
“From on high He sent fire into my bones.” Rabbi Ami asked Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, he said to him: ‘Because I heard about you, that you are a master of aggada, what is [the meaning of] that which is written: “For Your righteousness [vetzikatekha], God, reaches on high”?’ (Psalms 71:19). He said to him: ‘Just as those below are required to perform charity [tzedaka] with one another, so those on high are required to perform charity with one another.’
Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: Any place where it is stated: “He said, he said,”¹⁵¹Wherever the term “he said” appears twice in the introduction to a single statement. it is stated only to be expounded. That is what is written: “He said to the man clothed in linen, and He said: Come to between the galgal [beneath the cherub, and fill your hands with smoldering coals from between the cherubs, and cast them upon the city]” (Ezekiel 10:2). What is “He said,” “He said,” twice? It is that the Holy One blessed be He spoke to the angel, and the angel [then] said to the cherub: ‘Even though the Holy One blessed be He decreed upon me to take the coals, I am not allowed to enter behind your partition. Rather, perform an act of kindness and give me two of your coals so I will not be burned.’ That is what is written: “He carried it and placed it into the cupped hands of the one clothed in linen” (Ezekiel 10:7). What is “he carried it and he placed it”? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: He cooled them and placed them in his hand.
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: For six years the coals were dimly smoldering in Gabriel’s hand, and he believed that Israel would repent. When they did not repent, he sought to cast them upon them in rage. The Holy One blessed be He summoned him and said to him: ‘Gabriel, Gabriel! Slowly, slowly, for there are among them those who perform charity with one another.’ That is what is written: “On the cherubs the form of a man’s hand was seen beneath their wings” (Ezekiel 10:8).¹⁵²The hand represents the Holy One blessed be He preventing Gabriel from casting the coals on them.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rabbi Levi: What holds up the supernal and the earthly? It is the charity that Israel performs with the hand. That is what is written: “For Your righteousness, God, reaches on high” (Psalms 71:19).¹⁵³The verse is interpreted to mean that the merit of the charity that God commanded Israel to perform “reaches on high,” in that it supports even the heavens.
Similarly, “The man of God approached and said to the king of Israel, and said: So said the Lord: [Because Aram said: The Lord is a God of mountains and not a God of lowlands, I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you will know that I am the Lord]” (I Kings 20:28). What is “and said” twice? It is that in the first statement he said to him: ‘If ben Hadad comes under your control, have no pity on him.’ In the second statement, he said to him: ‘How many traps have I laid, how many signals have I sent, how many conquests did I perform before I subdued him before you, and now you have freed him in peace?’ Therefore, “your life shall be in place of his life, and your people instead of his people” (I Kings 20:42).
Similarly, “King Aḥashverosh said and he said to Queen Esther” (Esther 7:5). What is “he said,” “he said,” twice? Rav said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Before he sensed that she was Jewish, he would speak to her directly. Once he sensed that she was Jewish, King Aḥashverosh spoke to the translator and the translator spoke to Queen Esther.
Similarly, “The Lord said to Moses: Speak to the priests, sons of Aaron, and say to them” (Leviticus 21:1). Why do I need these two sayings? It is that in the first saying, He said to him: “He shall not become impure from a corpse among his people” (Leviticus 21:1). In the second, He said to him: ‘If you come upon a corpse that it is a mitzva to bury, impurify yourself for it.’¹⁵⁴Although a priest is forbidden from becoming impure from a corpse, if there is a corpse that has no one to bury it, it is a mitzva for anyone, even a priest, to see to the burial. Since in this world you impurify yourself for a corpse that it is a mitzva to bury, in the future you will not become impure from any corpse, for there will be no death in the future, as it is stated: “He will eliminate death forever” (Isaiah 25:8).
Alternatively, “for Your righteousness, God, reaches on high, [for the great deeds You have done]” these are the two luminaries.¹⁵⁵This refers to the sun and the moon. “God, who is comparable to You” (Psalms 71:19), in that You suppress the attribute of justice. At that moment, the accuser leapt before the Throne of Glory and said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, will this wicked one arrogantly say: I destroyed the house of the Lord and burned His Temple? If it is so,¹⁵⁶If the Temple must be destroyed. let fire descend from on high and burn it.’ Immediately, what is written: “From on high He sent fire into my bones.” Rabbi Yehoshua said: That is why the prophet rebukes Babylon and says to it: “Take a millstone and grind flour” (Isaiah 47:2). Everyone grinds wheat, yet it says “grind flour”? Rather, Jerusalem said to the daughter of Babylon: Had war not been waged against me from on high, could you have waged war against me? Had fire not been sent against me from on high, could you have overcome me? Rather, you killed a dead lion. You ground already ground flour. You set fire to a burned city. That is why it says: “From on high He sent fire into my bones and He crushed them [vayirdena].” What is “and He crushed them [vayirdena]”? Moved them, just as you say: “He scooped [vayirdehu] it into his hands” (Judges 14:9).¹⁵⁷The midrash is interpreting the word vayirdena to mean “he moved them” rather than “He crushed them.” Thus, the verse is interpreted to mean that God sent fire from on high against the Temple, and the enemy merely moved the burned bones.
Alternatively, vayirdena [means] ruled, just as it says: “He will rule [veyerd] from sea to sea” (Psalms 72:8). Alternatively, vayirdena [means] subjugated, just as it says: “For he subjugated [rodeh] the entire region beyond the River” (I Kings 5:4). Alternatively, vayirdena [means] plowing [radya], as it is taught: Rufus plowed the Sanctuary. Rabbi Beiva of Rangaya said: Vayirdena, he saw [vayar] the attribute of justice [din] harming it.
“He spread a net for my feet.” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: If you see benches filled with Babylonians situated in the Land of Israel, anticipate the footsteps of the Messiah. What is the source? “He spread [paras] a net for my feet.”¹⁵⁸This is expounded as a reference to Persia [paras]. When the Persians, whose empire included Babylon, spread their net in the Land of Israel, it will be a harbinger of the Messiah. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: If you see a Persian horse tied in the Land of Israel, anticipate the footsteps of the Messiah. What is the source? “This will be peace: When Assyria [will come into our land and when it will tread in our palaces, we will raise against it seven shepherds, and eight princes of men]” (Micah 5:4). “He turned me back,” away from the priesthood, away from the kingdom. “He rendered me desolate,” set for destruction; “suffering all day,” [sent] to the gallows.

(Deut. 33:2:) THEN HE SAID: THE LORD CAME FROM SINAI…. <This> teaches you that the Holy One brought the Torah around to the nations of the world,¹⁴Above, Lev. 3:10; Tanh, Lev. 3:6; Deut. 11:4; PRK 31(suppl. 1):15; cf. Sifre, Deut. 32:8(311); AZ 2b-3a; Lev. R. 13:2. but they would not accept it, until he came to Israel; and they did accept it. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): AND HE SHONE UPON THEM FROM SEIR. These are the children of Esau, in that they were children of Seir. (ibid., cont.:) HE APPEARED FROM MOUNT PARAN. These are the children of Ishmael, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 21:21): HE DWELT IN THE WILDERNESS OF PARAN. It is also written (in Hab. 3:6): HE AROSE AND MEASURED THE EARTH; HE LOOKED AND MADE NATIONS TREMBLE (rt.: NTR, literally: LEAP). When he saw that they did not want to accept the Torah, he made them jump into Gehinnom, even as it says (in Lev. 11:21): <KNEE JOINTS ABOVE THEIR FEET> TO LEAP (rt.: NTR) WITH UPON THE GROUND. It also says in another place (in Ps. 138:4): ALL THE KINGS OF THE EARTH SHALL GIVE THANKS TO YOU, O LORD, FOR THEY HAVE HEARD THE WORDS OF YOUR MOUTH. But we still need to say: Perhaps they wanted to heed. Micah the Morashtite came and put an end to the matter, where it is stated (in Micah 5:14 [15]): IN ANGER AND WRATH WILL I EXECUTE RETRIBUTION ON THE NATIONS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT OBEYED. {….}: Here you learn that they did not want to receive the Torah. David came and gave thanks to the Holy One over this, where it is stated (in Ps. 77:15 [14]): YOU ARE THE GOD WHO PERFORMS WONDERS; YOU HAVE MADE YOUR STRENGTH KNOWN AMONG THE PEOPLES. David said: Sovereign of the Universe, O the wonders that you performed when you made your Torah known to the nations of the world! YOUR STRENGTH can only be Torah, since it is stated (in Ps. 29:11): THE LORD WILL GRANT STRENGTH TO HIS PEOPLE. R. Abbahu said: It was revealed and made known to the one who spoke and world came into being that the nations of the world would not accept the Torah. Then for what reason did he make them the offer? It is simply that this represents the character of the Holy One. First he made an offer to his creatures, and after that he drove them from the world, because the Holy One does not deal with his creatures in tyranny.¹⁵Gk.: tyrannia. [A second reason for his making them an offer: <It was> because they were fortunate in their ancestors.¹⁶Cf. PRK 31 (suppl. 1):15, which reads: “Because of the merit of the ancestors.” Abraham had fathered Ishmael and Isaac had fathered Esau.

Whence do we know that this applies to the Torah? Because it is said, "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old" (Prov. 8:22). "Of old" means before the world was created. Whence do we know this with regard to the Garden of Eden? Because it is said, "And the Lord God planted a garden of old" (Gen. 2:8). "Of old," whilst as yet the world had not been created. Whence do we know this with reference to the Throne of Glory? Because it is said, "Thy throne is established of old" (Ps. 93:2). "Of old," whilst as yet the world had not been created. Whence do we know that Repentance (was premundane)? Because it is said, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world" (Ps. 90:2); and then in close proximity (we read), "Thou turnest man to contrition" (Ps. 90:3). "Before," i.e. before || the world was created. Whence do we know this with regard to the Temple? Because it is said, "A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary" (Jer. 17:12). "From the beginning," whilst as yet the world had not been created. Whence we do know that the name of the Messiah (was premundane)? Because it is said, "His name shall endure for ever; before the sun Yinnôn was his name" (Ps. 72:17). "Yinnôn," before the world had been created. Another verse says, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, which art to be least among the thousands of Judah, from thee shall he come forth unto me who is to be ruler over Israel; whose ancestry belongs to the past, even to the days of old" (Mic. 5:2). "The past," whilst as yet the world had not been created.

Whence do we know that this applies to the Torah? Because it is said, "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old" (Prov. 8:22). "Of old" means before the world was created. Whence do we know this with regard to the Garden of Eden? Because it is said, "And the Lord God planted a garden of old" (Gen. 2:8). "Of old," whilst as yet the world had not been created. Whence do we know this with reference to the Throne of Glory? Because it is said, "Thy throne is established of old" (Ps. 93:2). "Of old," whilst as yet the world had not been created. Whence do we know that Repentance (was premundane)? Because it is said, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world" (Ps. 90:2); and then in close proximity (we read), "Thou turnest man to contrition" (Ps. 90:3). "Before," i.e. before || the world was created. Whence do we know this with regard to the Temple? Because it is said, "A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary" (Jer. 17:12). "From the beginning," whilst as yet the world had not been created. Whence we do know that the name of the Messiah (was premundane)? Because it is said, "His name shall endure for ever; before the sun Yinnôn was his name" (Ps. 72:17). "Yinnôn," before the world had been created. Another verse says, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, which art to be least among the thousands of Judah, from thee shall he come forth unto me who is to be ruler over Israel; whose ancestry belongs to the past, even to the days of old" (Mic. 5:2). "The past," whilst as yet the world had not been created.

(Deut. 33:2:) “Then he said, ‘the Lord came from Sinai […].’” [This] teaches you that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought the Torah around to all the nations of the world,¹²Above, Lev. 3:10; Tanh, Lev. 3:6; Deut. 11:4; PRK 31(suppl. 1):15; cf. Sifre, Deut. 32:8(311); AZ 2b-3a; Lev. R. 13:2. but they did not accept it, until he came to Israel; and they did accept it. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.), “and He shone upon them from Seir.” These are the Children of Esau, in that they were children of Seir. (Ibid., cont.:) “He appeared from Mount Paran.” These are the Children of Ishmael, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 21:21), “He dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran.” It is also written (in Hab. 3:6), “He arose and measured the earth; [He looked and made nations tremble (rt.: ntr, literally, leap)].” When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that they did not want to accept the Torah, He made them jump into Gehinnom, even as it says (in Lev. 11:21), “to leap (rt.: ntr) with upon the ground.” Yet it says in another place (in Ps. 138:4), “All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to You, O Lord, for they have heard the words of Your mouth.” And [so] we still need to learn that they did not want to heed. Micah the Morashitite came and put an end to the matter, where it is stated (in Micah 5:14), “In anger and wrath will I execute retribution on the nations [because they have not obeyed].” Here you learn that they did not want to receive the Torah. David came and gave thanks to the Holy One, blessed be He, over this, where it is stated (in Ps. 77:15), “You are the God who performs wonders; You have made Your strength known among the peoples.” David said, “Master of the World, O the wonders that You performed when You made Your Torah known to the nations of the world!” [As] “Your strength” can only be Torah, since it is stated (in Ps. 29:11), “The Lord will grant strength to His people.” R. Abbahu said, “It was revealed and made known to the One who spoke and world came into being that the nations of the world would not accept the Torah. Then for what reason did He make them the offer? It is simply that this represents the character of the Holy One, blessed be He. First He made an offer to His creatures, and after that He drove them from the world, because the Holy One, blessed be He, does not deal with His creatures in tyranny.”¹³Gk.: tyrannia. A second reason for his making them an offer: [It was] on account of appeasement of [their] ancestors.¹⁴Cf. PRK 31 (suppl. 1):15, which reads: “Because of the merit of the ancestors.” Abraham had fathered Ishmael and Isaac had fathered Esau.

(Micah 5, 4) And in this [manner] shall there be peace: If Asshur should come into our land; and if he should tread in our places, then will we raise up against him seven shepherds, and eight anointed men. Who are the seven shepherds? David in the centre; Adam, Sheth, Methushelah at his right; Abraham, Jacob and Moses at his left. And who are the eight anointed men? Jesse, Saul, Samuel, Amos, Zephaniah, Ezekiah, Elijah and Messiah.

Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great, and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Elazar: This midrash came up with us from the Exile:¹⁸From Babylonia. Presumably, this is a way of stating that it is an ancient tradition. Any place that “It was [vayhi]” is stated, [it alludes to] trouble. Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great: Any place that “It was [vayhi]” is stated, it can serve [to allude to] either trouble or joy. If it is trouble, there is none like it. If it is joy, there is none like it. Rabbi Shmuel said: There are five [instances of] “during the days of [bimei].” “It was [vayhi] during the days of [bimei] Amrafel” (Genesis 14:1) – what was the trouble there? They waged a war. [It is analogous] to the friend of a king who was located in a certain province. Because of him, the king took care of the province. One time, barbarians came and beset him [the king’s friend]. They say: Woe for us, the king will no longer care for the province as he had done. Likewise, the entire world was created only due to the merit of Abraham our patriarch; that is what is written: “They turned back and came to Ein Mishpat,¹⁹Ein Mishpat literally means ‘eye of justice’. which is [hi] Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7). Rabbi Aḥa said: They came to beset the eyeball of the world.²⁰Abraham. The eye that overcame the attribute of justice in the world you seek to blind?²¹The midrash is rhetorically addressing the kings that attacked Abraham. “Which is [hi] Kadesh” – Rabbi Aḥa said: Hu Kadesh.²²The word hi, meaning ‘which is,’ is spelled with a vav as the middle letter, which could be read as the masculine hu. The midrash is reading hi Kadesh as hu kidesh, he sanctified. He [Abraham] sanctified [kidesh] the name of the Holy One blessed be He in the fiery furnace.²³See Tanḥuma, Lekh Lekha 6. When everyone saw that all the kings came to beset him, they began screaming: Woe [vai]; that is, “It was [vayhi] during the reign of Amrafel.”
“It was during the days of Aḥaz” (Isaiah 7:1) – what was the trouble there? “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west” (Isaiah 9:11) – [it is analogous] to the son of a king who had a tutor who sought to kill him. He [the tutor] said: If I kill him, I will be condemned to death by the king; instead, I will withhold his wet nurse from him, and he will die on his own. So did Aḥaz say: If there are no kids, there are no rams, and if there are no rams there is no flock, and if there is no flock there is no shepherd. So Aḥaz thought to say: If there are no children, there are no adults, and if there are no adults there are no students, if there are no students there are no scholars, if there are no scholars, there are no synagogues and study halls, if there are no synagogues and study halls, the Holy One blessed be He, as it were, cannot rest His Divine Presence in the world. Therefore, I will seize all the synagogues and study halls. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rabbi Ḥanina said: Why was he named Aḥaz? It is because he seized [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Avin: Isaiah said: “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no time that was as difficult for Israel as that time, as it is stated: “I will conceal My face” (Deuteronomy 31:18) – in this world. But from that moment, “I hoped for Him” (Isaiah 8:17), as it is written: “As it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21). Was it [this verse] fulfilled for him [Isaiah]? “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord gave me” (Isaiah 8:18) – were they his [Isaiah’s] children? Were they not his students? It teaches that they were as dear to him as his sons. Once everyone saw that he seized the synagogues and study halls, they began screaming: Woe [vai]: that is, “It was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was during the days of Yehoyakim” (Jeremiah 1:3) – what was the trouble there? “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder, and the heavens, and their light is not” (Jeremiah 4:23) – [it is analogous] to a king who sent a proclamation to a province. What did the residents of the province do to it? They took it, ripped it, and burned it in fire. They said: Woe to us when the king becomes aware of these matters. That is what is written: “It was, as Yehudi would read three columns or four” (Jeremiah 36:23) – three or four verses. When he reached the fifth verse: “Its besiegers are ascendant” (Lamentations 1:5),²⁴This is the fifth verse of the first chapter of Lamentations. immediately: “He would cut it with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace, until the end of the scroll, upon the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). Once they saw that it was so, they began screaming: Woe [vai]; that is, “it was [vayhi] during the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1) – what was the trouble there? [It was] “to kill, and to eliminate all the Jews” (Esther 3:13). [It is analogous] to a king who entered a vineyard and three enemies beset him: The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began trimming the clusters, and the third sought to uproot all the vines. Likewise, the wicked Pharaoh begin picking the unripe grapes; that is what is written: “[Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying:] Every son who is born you shall cast into the Nile” (Exodus 1:22).
The wicked Nebuchadnezzar began trimming the clusters; that is what is written: “[He exiled Yehoyakhin.…] and the artisans and the smiths, one thousand” (II Kings 24:15–16). Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda said: One thousand artisans and one thousand smiths; Rabbi Yoḥanan said: All of them were one thousand. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak said: These are the notables. Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Simon said: These are the Torah scholars.
Haman the wicked sought to uproot the entire egg;²⁵Egg, in the sense of the very origins of Israel. [as] they say buy [the hen] with the egg²⁶A aphorism meaning that he sought to complete the task, leaving no future. – “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). When they saw that it was so, they began screaming: Woe [vai]; “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh.”
“It was during the days when the judges judged” (Ruth 1:1) – what was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1) – [it is analogous] to a province that owed a tax to the king. What did the king do? He sent a tax collector to collect it. What did the residents of the province do? They took him, struck him, and extracted it [the money] from him. They said: What he sought to do to us we did to him. Likewise, during the days when the judges judged, an Israelite person would worship idols, and a judge would seek to bring him to trial, and he would come and flog the judge. He would say: What he sought to do to me, I did to him. Woe unto a generation whose judges are judged;²⁷The midrash is reading the verse to mean that it was in the days that the judges were judged, i.e. punished. that is, “It was during the days when the judges judged.”
Shimon bar Rabbi Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Everywhere that it [“it was,” vayhi] is stated, [it alludes to] trouble or to joy; if trouble, there is no trouble like it, if joy, there is no joy like it in the world. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman came and suggested a [different] distinction: Everywhere that it says, “it was [vayhi],” [it alludes to] trouble, everywhere that it says “it will be [vehaya],” joy.
But it is written: “God said: Let there be light, and there was [vayhi] light.” He said to them: Even that is not light of joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. By the light that was created on the first day, a person could look out and see from one end of the world to the other end. When He perceived that the wicked were destined to appear, like the generation of Enosh, the generation of the Flood, and the generation of the Dispersion,²⁸After the Tower of Babel. and like the people of Sodom, He took it [the light] away. That is what is written: “From the wicked their light is withheld” (Job 38:15). He sequestered it for the righteous in the future, as it is stated: “Light is sown for the righteous” (Psalms 97:11).
They objected to him: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as the heavens are destined to wither; that is what is written: “As the heavens will be eroded like smoke” (Isaiah 51:6).
They objected to him: Is it not written: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day.… third.… fourth.… fifth.… sixth” (Genesis 1:8–31). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created during the six days of Creation requires action, e.g., it is necessary to sweeten mustard, lupines must be sweetened, and wheat requires grinding.
But it is written: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it is written: “For they placed me in the pit” (Genesis 40:15). But it is written: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses completed [assembling the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it was sequestered when the Temple was built, as it is stated: “Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting” (Exodus 40:35).²⁹The verse does not seem to be related to the point. Perhaps it is brought to communicate that even on the day that the construction of the Tabernacle was completed, the celebration was tempered by the fact that Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting. But it is written: “It was [vayhi] when Joshua was [at Jericho]” (Joshua 5:13). He said to them: That too is not joy, as Joshua rent his garments, as it is stated: “Joshua rent his garments” (Joshua 7:6).³⁰After the setback at Ai. But it is written: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day” (Leviticus 9:1).³¹The day of the dedication of the Temple. He said to them: That too is not joy, as on that day Nadav and Avihu died.³²See Leviticus 10:1–2. But it is written: “It was [vayhi] when the king³³David. dwelled in his house” (II Samuel 7:1). He said to them: That too was not joy, as it was then that Natan the prophet came and said to him: “However, you will not build the House” (I Kings 8:19).
They said to him: We said ours, now you say yours.³⁴Prove that every place it says vehaya it is an expression of joy. He said to them: It is written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar” (Joel 4:18). “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge [from Jerusalem]” (Zechariah 14:8). “It will be on that day that the Lord will set His hand again the second time, [to recover the remnant of His people]” (Isaiah 11:11). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man shall keep [a calf of the herd and two sheep] alive” (Isaiah 7:21). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, that a great shofar will be sounded, [and they will come…and bow down to the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem]” (Isaiah 27:13). “It will be that one who is left in Zion and he that remains in Jerusalem [will be called holy]” (Isaiah 4:3). They objected to him: It is written: “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: Even that is not trouble but joy, as on that day, Israel made complete penance for their iniquities, on the day that the Temple was destroyed.
Conclusion of the prologue to Rut Rabba

And it was on the eighth day: Rabbi Tanchuma, Rabbi Chiya, Rabbah and Rabbi Berakhiya in the name of Rabbi Elazar [all] said, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (vayehi),' it is nothing but a term of grief [hinting to the sound, (vay), meaning woe]." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Natan, "This midrash came up to our hands from the exile - 'Any place that it is stated, "and it was in the days of," it is nothing but a term of grief.'" And there are five: (1) "And it was in the days of Amrafel" (Genesis 14:1). What grief was there over there? They made a war to kill Avraham, our father, as it is stated (Genesis 14:2), "made war." [It is comparable] to a dear friend of a king who entered a province, and on his account was the king [concerned] about that whole province. [Then people] came and grappled with him with words. And when he wanted to leave, they all said to him, "Woe that the king will no longer be concerned about the province as he was." So [too,] was Avraham a dear friend of the Holy One, blessed be He - as it is written about him (Isaiah 41:8), "the seed of Avraham, My dear one"; and it is written (Genesis 12:3), "and through you shall all the families of the world be blessed." And when the kings came and grappled with him, they all said, "Woe that the Holy One, blessed be He, will not be concerned with the world as He was; since He was concerned with the world for his sake." This is [the meaning of] that which the verse stated (Genesis 14:7), "And they came to Ein Mishpat (which can be understand as the eye of justice)" - Rabbi Acha said, "They sought to grapple with no less than the eyeball of the world." They said, "They sought to blind the eye that [suppressed] the trait of [strict] judgment in the world." [The verse continues -] "It (hee) is Kadesh," [but] it is written, "he (hu) is Kadesh"; meaning to say, he sanctified (hu kidesh) the name of the Holy One, blessed be He and went down to the fiery furnace. When they saw that the things were like this, they cried out. (2) "And it was in the days of Achaz the son of Yoshiah, King of Yehudah" (Isaiah 7:1). What grief was there over there? "It is what is stated by the verse (Isaiah 9:11), "Aram is in front and the Philistines are behind, etc." [It is comparable] to a king that gave his son over to a mentor, and the mentor hated him. He said, "If I kill him, I will become liable for death. Rather, I will take away his nourishment from him and he will die on his own." So did the evil Achaz say, "If there are no goats, there will be no rams; if there is no flock, there will be no shepherd, [and] where will the world be?" So did he say, "If there are no masters, there will be no students; if there are no students, there will be no sages; if there is no Torah, there will be no synagogues and study halls." What did he do? He passed all the synagogues and study halls and sealed them. And this [is the meaning of] that which the verse states (Isaiah 8:16), "Bind up the message; seal the instruction with My disciples." And when they saw that the things were like this, they all started to cry out, "Woe that the world is being destroyed" - when [study of] the Torah was negated, that was in the days of Achaz. (3) "And it was in the days of Yehoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu" (Jeremiah 1:3). What grief was there over there? "I looked at the earth, and behold it was empty and void; at the heavens and their light was not" (Jeremiah 4:23), [It is comparable] to edicts of the kings that were brought to the provinces of the kingdom. In each and every province, when it came to their hands, everyone would stand on their feet, uncover their heads and read them with fear, trembling and perspiration. But when they were brought to the province of the king, they tore them up and burned them: When the Holy One, blessed be He, sends His messenger to the nations of the world, they repent, cover themselves in sackcloth and fast - as did the people of Nineveh, as it is stated (Jonah 3:7), "from the order of the king and his principals, etc." They, may their memory be blessed, said, "One who had a beam or a stone that was stolen in his house would destroy the house and remove it and return the theft." And because of this did Yonah fear to prophesy to Nineveh. As Rabbi Tarfon said, "The fish was designated, etc." And the nations of the world are afraid in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, and [so, they are] close to repentance, whereas Israel is stiff-necked. This is what the verse stated (Jeremiah 36:23), "And it was when Yehudi would read three columns or four" - meaning to say, he read four verses - and in the fifth verse, he read, "And her tormentors became the head" (Lamentations 1:5) - and it is is written (Jeremiah 36:23), "he would tear it with a scribe's blade and throw it into the fire until the end of all of the scroll." And when they saw this, everyone began to cry out, "Woe for the decree that is hanging over us." And the other (4) - "And it was in the days of Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1). What grief was there over there? [It is comparable] to a king that had a vineyard, and he had three enemies. What did they do? One cut the small berries, the second ripped the clusters and the third uprooted the vines: The king is King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He; His vineyard is Israel, as it is stated (Isaiah 5:7), "For a vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel"; [And] their three enemies are Pharaoh, Nevukhadnetsar and Haman. Pharaoh began with the small berries, as it is stated (Exodus 1:22), "Any son that is born, throw him into the river." Nevukhadnetsar ripped the clusters, as it is stated (Jeremiah 29:2), "the craftsmen and the smiths." Who are the craftsmen (charash)? These are the ones that pray the mute prayer silently, and are victorious with their prayer over all the nations of the world. The smiths? That all the nations of the world come in a vice in front of them but [then] flee, as they put a vice on all the nations - and Nevukhadnetsar come to destroy them; and he destroyed the craftsmen and the smiths, and exiled them. The evil Haman [then] came [to] uproot the vines, as it is stated (Esther 3:13), "to annihilate, to kill and to destroy." Everyone began to cry out, "Woe," and they mourned in front of the Omnipresent. (5) "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" (Ruth 1:1) - there was famine there; and what grief is greater than famine? And from where [do we know] that there was famine? As it is stated (Ruth 1:1), "and there was a famine in the land." And why was there a famine? Because Israel and the judges were not judging true judgement; as it is is stated, "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" - [and] we find [following it], "he", which indicates evildoers. [As] so do we find, "he was Datan and Aviram" (Numbers 26:9); "he was Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1); "he was [...] Achaz" (II Chronicles 28:22). So too were the judges. And to what is the matter comparable? To a province that was liable a tax to the king. [So] he sent collectors to collect it. The people of the province rose and smote the collectors and hung them. The judgment that they were liable - as they appointed other judges for themselves - they did to the collectors. So did they do at that time, as Elimelekh would judge the judges; [since] he was a strongman and there were many men below him. He saw the distress and the famine, but he did not warn the sinners to repent from their evil. And he stopped living in Beit Lechem for himself to live in the field of Moav - to sustain his soul during the famine, and the soul of his wife during the famine, and the soul of his sons; and he did not know that [it is] the Torah that sustains its masters and not the vanities of the world. And he was one who was important, as it is stated (Ruth 1:1), "and a man went from Beit Lechem, Yehudah." And we only say, "man," about an important man, as it is stated (Numbers 12:3), "And the man, Moshe, was very humble." As Elimelekh was an important man, as they would consider him [so] in his place - and [yet] he went to save his soul and the soul of his household, and did not trouble himself about the matters of the community; even as he was an important man and they would have believed his words, [such as] to make them repent from their evil and bring them to repentance. And therefore, it occurred to him as it is written in the verse (Ruth 1:3), "And Elimelekh, the husband of Naomi died." And so [too,] his sons died, as it is stated (Ruth 1:5), "And [...his] two [sons,] Machlon and Khilyon died, and the woman survived her two children and her husband." As so were they judging their judges, like Sodom. Rabbi Shimon ben Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (vayehi),' it is used for grief and it is used for joy. And when for grief, there is no grief like it, and when for joy, there is no joy like it." (The text is missing the following integral part of the midrash, found in Bereishit Rabbah 42:3 and other places: Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman came and divided it, "Any place that it is stated 'it will be,' it is used for joy; [but] 'and it was' [is for] grief.") The Sages responded, "Behold 'And God said, "Vayehi (here used as a command form, and not past tense) light"' [is] joy!" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. As so did Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon say, '[Regarding] the light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day, Adam [could] look and observe from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. [But] since the Holy One, blessed be He, saw the deeds of the generation of Enosh and the generation of the flood, He arose and hid it from them. That is [the meaning of] what the verse states (Job 38:15), "From the wicked is their light withheld." And to where is it hidden? [It is] in the Garden of Eden, for the righteous ones, as it is stated (Psalms 97:11), "Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the straight-hearted."'" They responded to him further, "It states, 'And it was evening and it was morning, one day.'" He said to them, "On that day too, it is not of joy, as all the acts of the first day are destined to wither, as it is stated (Isaiah 51:6), 'when the heavens melt away like smoke and the earth wither like a garment.'" They responded to him, "Behold, the [acts of] the second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day." He said to them, "They too are not of joy, as all the acts of the six days of creation require further action - for example, wheat needs to be ground; mustard needs to be mellowed; lupine need to be mellowed." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yosef and he was a successful man' (Genesis 39:7)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as that 'bear' chanced upon him from this, as it is stated in the verse, 'after' - 'And it was after these things, and the wife of his master raised, etc.' (Genesis 39:7)." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yehoshua, and his reputation was in all the land' (Joshua 6:27)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as Yair the son of Menashe, whose weight corresponded to the majority of the Sanhedrin, fell at that time; as it is stated (Joshua 7:5), 'And the men of Ai smote of them, like thirty-six men' - and the master said, 'That is Yair the son of Menashe, whose weight corresponded to the majority of the Sanhedrin.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (I Samuel 18:14), 'And it was that David was successful in all of his ways and the Lord was with him'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as enmity descended into the heart of Shaul from this, as it is stated (I Samuel 18:9), 'And it was that Shaul eyed David.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (II Samuel 7:1), 'And it was when the king sat in his house and the Lord allowed him rest from all of his enemies'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as on that same day, Natan the prophet came to David and said to him, 'However you will not build the House' (I Kings 8:19)." They said to him, "Behold, we have said what is ours; [now] say what is yours - that 'and it will be' is joy." He said to them, "'And it will be on that day that the mountains will drip with nectar' (Joel 4:18), that will be in the days of the messiah, and there will be great joy for Israel. And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that a man shall save alive a heifer of the herd and two sheep' (Isaiah 7:21). And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that living waters will come out from Jerusalem' (Zechariah 14:8). And so [too,] 'And he will be like a tree planted over streams of water' (Psalms 1:3). And so [too,] 'And the remnant of Yaakov will be among many nations' (Micah 5:6)." They said to him, "But behold, it is written (Jeremiah 38:28), 'vahaya (here used in the past tense, and not like the other examples) when Jerusalem was captured'!" He said to them, "It too is not of grief, as on that day was the verdict of Israel for their sins taken; as so is it written (Lamentations 4:22), 'Your sin has been completed, Daughter of Zion, He will not again exile you.'"

The Rabbis interpreted the verse regarding the returning exiles. “We have a little sister” (Song of Songs 8:8) – this is [a reference to] the returning exiles. “Little” – because they were small in number. “And she has no breasts” (Song of Songs 8:8) – these are the five matters that were lacking in the latter Temple relative to the first, and these are: Heavenly fire, anointing oil, the Ark, the Divine Spirit, and the Urim and the Tummim. That is what is written: “I will accept it and be honored [ve’ekaveda]” (Hagai 1:8); ve’ekaveda is written without a heh.²⁶The numerical value of heh is five. This is an allusion to the five matters that were lacking in the Second Temple. “What shall we do for our sister?” (Song of Songs 8:8) – what shall we do on the day that it was decreed: Whoever has crossed the Euphrates has crossed, and whoever has not crossed shall not cross. “I am a wall” – had Israel ascended from Babylon like a wall,²⁷Presenting a united front. the Temple would not then have been destroyed a second time.
Rabbi Ze’eira went out to the marketplace to purchase something. He said to the one who was weighing: ‘Weigh properly.’ He said to him: ‘Will you not go away from us, you Babylonian, whose ancestors caused the destruction?’ At that moment Rabbi Ze’eira said: Are my ancestors not like the ancestors of these?²⁸He said to himself: Were only my Babylonian ancestors responsible for the destruction, and not his ancestors from the Land of Israel? He went to the meeting place [of the Sages] and heard the voice of Rabbi Shila, who sat and expounded: Had Israel ascended from the exile like a wall, the Temple would not have been destroyed a second time. [Rabbi Ze’eira] said: That ignoramus taught me well.
“And if she is a door, we will affix [natzur] upon her a cedar panel” – just as a drawing [tzura], even when it is blurred, its mark is noticeable, so too, even though the Temple was destroyed, Israel did not abrogate its footsteps to their pilgrimages three times a year.
“I am a wall” – Rabbi Aivu said: The Holy One blessed be He said: I am destined to become an advocate for Israel among the nations of the world.²⁹The nations question Israel’s connection with God due to the elements lacking in the Second Temple. How is that? This is the Divine voice. That is what is written: “Had the Lord of hosts not left us a remnant” (Isaiah 1:9). It is taught: Once the later prophets, Hagai, Zechariah, and Malachi, died, the Divine Spirit ceased from Israel. Even so, they would avail themselves of the Divine Voice. There was an incident where the Sages gathered to vote in the upper story of Beit Gadya in Jericho. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: There is among you a man who is worthy of the Divine Spirit, but his generation is not worthy of it. They directed their glance to Hillel the Elder. When he died, they would say in his regard: How humble, how pious, a disciple of Ezra.
There was another incident where the Sages of Israel gathered to vote in the vineyard of Yavne. Were they in a vineyard? Rather, this is the Sanhedrin, which is configured in rows and in tiers like the configuration of a vineyard. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: ‘There is among you a man who is worthy of the Divine Spirit, but his generation is not worthy of it.’ They directed their glance to Shmuel HaKatan. When he died, they would say in his regard: How humble, how pious, a disciple of Hillel the Elder. He also said three matters at the time of his death: Shimon and Yishmael by sword, and the rest of their colleagues to death; and the rest of the people will be plundered; and great troubles are destined to befall the world; and he said it in Aramaic.³⁰Shmuel HaKatan foretold the execution of many of the Sages as well as other troubles that would befall the people. He said this in Aramaic, which most of the people around him did not understand. Regarding Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava, as well, they instituted that they would say in his regard: How humble, how pious, a disciple of Shmuel. But the opportunity was missed, because one does not eulogize those executed by the monarchy.³¹Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava was killed by the Romans, and therefore the Sages were not able to eulogize him.
There was an incident where Yoḥanan the High Priest heard a Divine Voice emerging from the Holy of Holies that said: The lads who went to wage war in Antioch emerged victorious. They wrote that day and that hour, and it was so, they had emerged victorious on that same day.
There was an incident where Shimon HaTzadik heard a Divine Voice emerging from the Holy of Holies that said: The matter that the enemy said, to destroy the Sanctuary, is void; Geyoslokin was killed, and his decrees were voided. He heard it in Aramaic. Rabbi Ḥonya [said] in the name of Rabbi Reuven: If the king is in the province, they cry out to him and he responds. If the king is not in the province, his image is there; however his image does not do what the king does.³²Similarly, even when prophecy ceased, God’s presence remained with Israel as expressed by the Divine Voice. However, God was not as responsive to prayer as He had been during the era of prophecy.
Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “The Lord will give you there a trembling [ragaz] heart” (Deuteronomy 28:65). When they ascended, the wrath [rogez] that was given ascended with them.³³Because so few Jews returned to the Land of Israel from the Babylonian exile when they had the chance, the wrath that accompanied them to Babylon ascended with them. Consequently, the Second Temple was eventually destroyed. Rabbi Shmuel said: There, there was a trembling heart. Once they ascended, they were cured.
Reish Lakish, when he would see them gathering in the marketplace, he would say to them: ‘Scatter yourselves.’ He said to them: ‘When you ascended, you did not consolidate into a wall, and here you are coming to consolidate into a wall?’³⁴Reish Lakish, who lived in the Land of Israel, would object when Babylonian Jews would gather in crowds, because he blamed their ancestors, who had failed to gather and return to the Land of Israel, for the fact that the Second Temple was ultimately destroyed. When Rabbi Yoḥanan would see them, he would provoke them. He said: If the prophet provoked them, as it is stated: “My God will spurn them because they did not heed Him” (Hosea 9:17), will I not provoke them?
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: If you see benches filled with Babylonians in the Land of Israel, anticipate the footsteps of the messianic king. What is the source? “He spread [paras] a net for my feet” (Lamentations 1:13).³⁵When Persia [paras] resumes control of the Land, it will be due to the imminent arrival of the messianic king. Persia took over Babylonia, and the Sages refer to people from Babylonia as Babylonians or Persians. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: If you see a Persian horse tied to a grave in the Land of Israel, anticipate the footsteps of the Messiah. What is the source? “This will be peace: When Assyria will come into our land, and when it will tread in our palaces, we shall raise against it seven shepherds…” (Micah 5:4).³⁶The next verse states that they will lay waste to Assyria and “the land of Nimrod,” which is Babylon. These are the seven shepherds: David in the center, Adam, Seth, Methuselah to his right, Abraham, Jacob, and Moses to his left. Where did Isaac go? He went and sat at the entrance to Gehenna to rescue his descendants from the judgment of Gehenna. “And eight princes of men” (Micah 5:4) – these are the eight princes: Yishai, Saul, Samuel, Amos, Zephaniah, Hezekiah, Elijah, and the messianic king.

Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon began: “From a hypocritical person’s rule; from snares of the people” (Job 34:30). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish: Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When the king is a hypocrite and rules the people, “from snares [mimokeshei] of the people,” it is due to the stubbornness [kashyuteihen] and the liabilities of the people who do not perform the will of the Creator of the world. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: It is preferable for people to grow themselves wings and fly in the air rather than for them to be turned over and subjugated to a hypocritical king.
Alternatively, “from a hypocritical person’s rule,” that is Aḥashverosh, who was hypocritical, who killed his wife because of his friend, and a different time killed his friend because of his wife.
Abba Oriyan of Sidon said five things in the name of Rabban Gamliel:
When lying judges increase, lying witnesses increase.
When informants increase, the property of the people is plundered.
When brazenness increases, glory, majesty, and honor are taken from the people.
When the actions of beloved children anger their Father in Heaven, He sets over them a hypocritical king who exacts retribution from them.¹⁴Abba Oriyan is said to list five things he heard from Rabban Gamliel, and this list contains only four. In Yalkut Shimoni, Esther, 1,044, the following is inserted here: “When the younger says to the elder: I am greater than you, the lives of people are truncated.”
And who is this? It is Aḥashverosh. When everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming; ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1).

“The Jews gathered in their cities in all the provinces of King Aḥashverosh, to lay hand on those who sought their harm. And no one stood against them for the fear of them had fallen on all the peoples” (Esther 9:2).
“The Jews gathered in their cities…and no one stood against them for the fear of them had fallen on all the peoples.” Israel was becoming stronger, like a lion that has fallen upon flocks of sheep and continues to prey with none to stop him. That is what is written: “The remnant of Israel will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion upon the beasts of the forest, and like a young lion among the flocks of sheep…” (Micah 5:7). And they killed Haman’s sons and hanged them. Emperor Hadrian said to Rabbi Yehoshua: ‘Great is the lamb that survives among seventy wolves.’ He said to him: ‘Great is the shepherd who saves it [the lamb] and crushes them before it. That is what is written: “No weapon formed against you will succeed”’ (Isaiah 54:17).

Rabbi Berekhya began: “Who acted and accomplished it? He who proclaimed the generations from the beginning; I, the Lord was first and with the last, I am He” (Isaiah 41:4). From the beginning of the creation of the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, instituted for each and every person what is appropriate for him: Adam, head of the created; Cain, head of the killers; Abel, head of the killed; Noah, head of the survivors; Abraham, head of the circumcised; Isaac, head of the bound; Jacob, head of the wholehearted; Judah, head of the tribes; Joseph, head of the pious; Aaron, head of the priests; Moses, head of the prophets; Joshua, head of the conquerors; Otniel, head of the allocators;¹⁵He completed the allocation of the tribal portions that Joshua did not allocate in his lifetime. Samuel, of the anointers; Saul, of the anointed; David, of the musicians; Solomon, head of the builders; Nebuchadnezzar, head of the destroyers; Aḥashverosh, head of the sellers; Haman, head of the buyers; when everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1).

... Shimon bar Rav Abba said, in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, that "vayehi" serves [to introduce] joy or suffering. If [it comes to introduce] suffering, then the suffering [in question] is unparalleled. If [it comes to introduce] joy, then the joy [in question] is unparalleled. Rabbi Yishmael came and made the [following] division. Every place where it says “vayehi” there is no joy [and every place where it says] “vehaya” there is no suffering. They challenged him [citing Genesis 1:3] “And God said, “let there be light”, and there was [vaheyi] light.” He said to them, “even this case isn’t joyous, since the world didn’t merit to use that light, for Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said [regarding] the light created by the Holy One, blessed be He, on the first day [of creation], [that] a person could use it to see from one end of the universe to the other [from the beginning of time, to the end of time]. When the Holy One, blessed be he, saw [by this light] the deeds of the generation of Enosh, and the deeds of the generation of flood, that they were destructive, [God] arose and confiscated [the light] from them, as it is written, “Their light is withheld from the wicked,” (Job 38:15). And where was it placed? In the Garden of Eden; at it is said (Psalms 97:11): “Light is sown for the righteous, radiance for the upright” [i.e., the light of the first day of creation is reserved for the righteous in the world to come].” They challenged him [citing Genesis 1:5, which describes the first day of creation]: “And there was [vayehi] evening, and there was [vayehi] morning; day one.” He said to them, “even this case isn’t joyous, since everything that was created on the first day is destined to be destroyed, as it is written (Isaiah 51:6): “when the heavens will melt away like smoke, and the earth wear out like a garment”.” They challenged him [citing all the other days of creation since it is written], “and there was [vayehi] evening, and there was [vayehi] morning” [regarding] the second, third, fourth, fifth, [and] sixth day. He said to them, “even this case isn’t joyous, since [the creation was incomplete such that] everything created in the six days of creation required [human] labour [in order that it should be completed]. The wheat needed grinding. Mustard needed sweetening. The Lupin bean needs sweetening. They challenged him [citing Genesis 39:2, and its description of Jospeh’s success in the house of Potiphar, which reads]: “And it was [vayehi] that God was with Joseph, and it was [vayehi] that he was a successful man.” He said to them: “even this case isn’t joyous since it was because of this [success] that that wicked woman [i.e. Potiphar’s wife] chanced upon him." They challenged him [citing Leviticus 9:1, and its description of the completing of the inauguration of the Tabernacle]: “And it was [vayehi] on the eighth day”. He said to them: “even this case isn’t joyous, since on that day, Nadav and Avihu died.”They challenged him [citing the description, in the book of Numbers (7:1), of Moses completing the building of the Tabernacle]: “And it was [vayehi] on the day that Moses completed the raising of the Tabernacle”. He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous, since on the day that it was built it [was also collapsed and] stored away.” [Rabbi Yishmael is alluding to the fact that the Tabernacle was a portable structure, and just as Moses constructed it on that day, he also tested it by taking it apart. Moreover, this symbolises that the Tabernacle was not to be permanent]." They challenged him [by citing the verse from the book of Joshua (6:27)]: “And it was [vayehi] that God was with Joshua”. He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous [since it comes just before the military defeat in the city of Ai, in which Yair [son of Menashe], who was equivalent in stature to the majority of a Sanhedrin, was killed. As it says (Joshua 7:5): “And the men of Ai smote about thirty-six of [the Israelites]”. It doesn’t say [that they killed] 36 [men]; rather, it says that they killed "about" 36 men [literally, it says that they killed "something like" 36 men]. Rabbi Yudan said that this refers to Yair son of Menashe who was equivalent to the majority of a Sanhedrin [which would have 71 members; by killing him, it was as if they had killed 36 men].” They challenged him [by citing the verse from I Samuel (18:14): “And it was [Vayehi] that David was successful in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him.” He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous since it is written regarding him, “From that day on Saul kept a jealous eye on David” (Ibid. 18:9).” They challenged him [by citing the verse from II Samuel (7:1)]: “And it was [vayehi] when the king was settled in his palace and God had granted him safety from all the enemies around him”. He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous because, on that very day, Nathan the prophet came and said to him, “Only, you will not build the Temple” (I Kings 8:19, and II Samuel 7:5).” They said to him, we have brought our own verses [as counter-examples to your theory. Now it’s your turn]. Say your own verses [as evidence for your theory]. He said to them [the following verses]: They said to him, we have brought our own verses [as counter-examples to your theory. Now it’s your turn]. Say your own verses [as evidence for your theory]. He said to them [the following verses]: “And it was [vehaya – this is an instance of the Prophetic Future Tense, when the Bible uses the past tense to describe the future, presumably because the prophetic future is as certain as the past], on that day: The mountains shall drip with wine, the hills shall flow with milk, and all the watercourses of Judah shall flow with water; A spring shall issue from the house of God and shall water the Wadi of the Acacias” (Joel 4:18); “And it was [vehaya], on that day: each man shall save alive a heifer of the herd and two animals of the flock” (Isaiah 7:21); “And it was [vehaya] on that day: fresh water shall flow from Jerusalem, part of it to the Eastern Sea and part to the Western Sea, throughout the summer and winter” (Zecharia 14:8); “He was [vehaya] like a tree planted beside streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, whose foliage never fades, and whatever it produces thrives” (Psalms 1:3); “The remnant of Jacob was [vehaya – once again used in the prophetic future tense] in the midst of many peoples, like dew from God, Like droplets on grass — Which do not look to any man nor place their hope in mortals” (Micah 5:6). They challenged him. “Is it not written “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28)?” He said to them: “even this case contains no suffering, since on that day Israel received their judgement for their sins. For Rabbi Ishmael ben Rabbi Nachman said, “Israel took a complete judgement for their sins on the day that the Temple was destroyed. For so it is written (Lametation 4:22): “Your iniquity, Fair Zion, is expiated; He will exile you no longer.”

Rab said: "Ben David will not arrive until Rome will have dominated over Israel for nine months, as it is said (Micha 5, 2) Therefore will He give them up until the time when she who travaileth has brought forth, then shall the remnant of his brethren return with the children of Israel." Ula said: "May he come soon, but I wish not to see him [when he comes]." R. Joseph, however, said: "I pray for his coming in my days, and that I shall have the honor to sit in the shadow of his ass." Abaye said to Raba: "Why does the master not wish to see the Messiah? Is it because of the suffering which will precede the advent of the Messiah? Is there not a Baraitha that the disciples of R. Elazar questioned him: 'What may one do to be saved from the suffering which is to precede the coming of the Messiah,' and he answered, 'He shall occupy himself with the study of the Torah and with loving kindness'; and you, master, are doing both; you study the Torah and and practice loving kindness; why then are you afraid?" And he answered: "Perhaps sin [will cause me to suffer with the lot]." As R. Jacob b. Idi said, for R. Jacob b. Idi raised the following contradiction: It is written (Gen. 28, 15) And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee wheresoever thou goest. And it is written (Ib. 32, 8) Then Jacob was greatly afraid, and he felt distressed. [Why was he afraid after he was promised by the Lord?] He (Jacob) was afraid because perhaps there was a sin which would serve [to prevent its fulfillment]; as we are taught in a Baraitha concerning the verse: (Ex. 15, 16) Till Thy people pass over, refers to the first entrance [of Palestine]; till this people pass over, refers to the second entrance [of Palestine]. Infer from this that it had been intended that a miracle be performed for Israel in the second entrance as it had been in the first entrance [of Palestine], but sin was the cause [that it was not performed]. R. Jochanan also said: "May he come soon, but I shall not see him." Resh Lakish said to him: "What is your reason?" Is it because of (Amos 5, 19) As if a man were to flee from a lion, and a bear should meet him; and he were to enter the house, and lean his hand against the wall, and a serpent should bite him? Come, and I will show you a similarity to this in the world at this time — e.g., when one goes to his field and meets a bailiff [who tries to contest the title to the field]; is this not equal to his meeting a lion? And when he enters the city a collector from the government meets him; is this not equal to his meeting a bear? And when he enters his house and finds his sons and daughters starving; is this not equal to a serpent's biting him? It must then be because of the following verse (Jer. 30, 6) Ask ye now, and see whether a male doth give birth to a child? Wherefore do I see every man (gever) with his hands on his loins as a woman is giving birth? And why are all faces turned pale? What does I see every man (gever) mean? Rabba b. Isaac, in the name of Rab, said: "Him (God) to whom all the strength belongs." And what does all faces turned pale, mean? R. Jochanan said: "The heavenly house-hold and the household here below, for at that time the Holy One, praised be He! says: 'Both Israel and the nations are my creatures, why then should I destroy the one for the other?'" R. Papa said: "This is what people say: 'If the ox [which is liked by the owner] falls while going on his way, a horse is placed at its (the ox's) crib (i.e., Israel is displaced and other nations feed on his soil).'"

Rabbi Tanḥuma, Rabbi Berekhya, and Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great interpreted in the name of Rabbi Elazar: This midrash came up with us from the Exile. Everyplace that vayhi is stated, it means nothing but trouble. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman interpreted in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: This midrash came into our possession. Everyplace that vayhi bimei is stated, it means nothing but trouble.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: They are five:
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Amrafel king of Shinar, Ariokh, king of Elasar, Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goyim” (Genesis 14:1). What was the trouble there? “They waged war with Bera, king of Sodom…” (Genesis 14:2). [This is analogous] to the beloved of a king who resided in a province and, for his sake, the king attended to that province. When barbarians came and afflicted him [the beloved of the king], they [the other residents of the province] said: ‘Woe unto us that the king is not attending to the province the way that he once did.’ So too, Abraham our patriarch, the beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:4). For his sake, the Holy One blessed be He attended to His entire world. That is what is written: “They returned and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7). They sought to afflict only the eye of the world [Abraham]. They sought to blind the eye that acts upon the attribute of justice in the world. ¹⁶ This probably means that Abraham is responsible for the suppression of the attribute of justice, the result of which is that God rules the world through the attribute of mercy. “Which is [hi] Kadesh” – Rabbi Aḥa said: Hu [i.e. he rather than she] is written. He [Abraham] sanctified [kiddesh] the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and he went into the fiery furnace. When everyone saw that all the kings came to afflict him, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the reign of Amrafel.”
“It was during the days [vayhi bimei] when the judges judged; there was a famine in the land and a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to stay in the field of Moab, he, his wife, and his two sons” (Ruth 1:1). What was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land.” [This is comparable] to a province that owed a tax to the king, and the king sent a tax collector to collect it. What did the residents of the province do? They suspended him [on a pole] and struck him and extracted it [the money] from him. They said: Woe unto us when the king becomes aware of these matters; we did to the emissary of the king what he sought to do to us. So too, when one of the people of Israel would perform inappropriate actions, they would take him to the judge, and what the judge sought to do to the defendant, the defendant would do to the judge. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: You humiliate your judges; by your lives, I will bring upon you a matter that you are unable to endure. What is that? It is famine, as it is stated: “It was during the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1).
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Aḥaz son of Yotam, son of Uziyahu, king of Judah; Retzin, king of Aram and Pekaḥ, son of Remalyahu, king of Israel, went to war against Jerusalem, but he was unable to make war against it” (Isaiah 7:1). What was the trouble there? It was as it is written: “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west” (Isaiah 9:11). [This is comparable] to a king who handed his son over to a tutor, and his tutor hated him. He said: If I kill him, I will be condemned to death by the king; instead, I will withhold his nurse from him, and he will die on his own. So too, Aḥaz said: If there are no kids, there are no goats, and if there are no goats there is no flock, and if there is no flock there is no shepherd, and if there is no shepherd, the world cannot exist. So Aḥaz thought and said: If there are no children, there are no adults, and if there are no adults there are no students, if there are no students there are no scholars, if there are no scholars there are no elders, if there are no elders there is no Torah, if there is no Torah there are no synagogues and study halls, if there are no synagogues and study halls, the Holy One, blessed be He, will not rest His Divine Presence in the world. What did he do? He arose and locked all the synagogues and study halls, so that no one would engage in Torah study. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Why was he named Aḥaz? It is because he seized [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Aḥa derived it from this verse, as it is written: “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for Him” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no time that was as grim for Israel as that time, as it is stated: “I will conceal My face on that day because of all the evil that they did…” (Deuteronomy 31:18). But from that moment I hoped for Him,¹⁷A reference to the verse quoted above “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for Him” (Isaiah 8:17). as it is written: “As it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21). What did you [Aḥaz] accomplish? “Behold, I [Isaiah] and the children whom the Lord gave me are to become signs and wonders in Israel” (Isaiah 8:18). Were they his children? Surely, they were nothing but his students! Rather, from here [we learn] that a person’s student is called his son. Once everyone saw that he seized the synagogues and study halls, they began screaming: Woe [vai]: “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Yehoyakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month” (Jeremiah 1:3). What was the trouble there? “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder; the heavens, and their light is not” (Jeremiah 4:23). [This is comparable] to a king who sent letters from province to province and in each and every province that his letters reached, they would embrace and kiss them, standing on their feet, baring their heads and reading them with reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling. When they reached the king’s province, they read them, ripped them, and burned them. That is what is written: “It was, as Yehudi would read three columns or four,” (Jeremiah 36:23) – three or four verses. When they reached the fifth verse: “Its besiegers are ascendant” (Lamentations 1:5), immediately: “He would cut it with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). Once everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Aḥashverosh; that Aḥashverosh who reigned from India to Kush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces” (Esther 1:1). What was the trouble there? It was “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). [This is comparable] to a king who entered a vineyard and encountered three enemies: The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began trimming the clusters, and the third began uprooting vines. So too, wicked Pharaoh began picking unripe grapes; that is what is written: “Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying: Every son who is born you shall cast into the Nile…” (Exodus 1:22).
Nebuchadnezzar, may his bones be crushed, began trimming the clusters; that is what is written: “He exiled Yehoyakhin…and the artisans and the smiths, one thousand” (II Kings 24:14). Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda said: One thousand artisans and one thousand smiths; the Rabbis said: One thousand artisans and smiths. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: These are the Torah scholars. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak said: These are the notables.
Haman the wicked, may he be crushed and wiped out, began uprooting the vines; that is what is written: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). He sought to undermine the foundation of Israel, he wanted to devastate the whole house [of Israel]. Once everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh.”
Shimon bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Yonatan said: Everywhere that vayhi is stated it refers to trouble or to joy; if it is to trouble, it is unparalleled trouble, if it is to joy, it is unparalleled joy. Rabban Shmuel bar Naḥman came and suggested a different distinction: Everywhere that it says vayhi (it was), it refers to trouble, everywhere that it says vehaya (it will be), joy.
They objected: Is it not written: “God said: Let there be light, and there was [vayhi] light”? He said to them: Even that is not joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: By the light that was created on the first day, a person could look out and see from one end of the world to the other end. When the Holy One, blessed be He, perceived that the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion (after the Tower of Babel) were destined to sin before Him, He arose and concealed it from them. That is what is written: “From the wicked was withheld their light” (Job 38:15). Where did He conceal it? In the Garden of Eden; that is what is written: “Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright” (Psalms 97:11).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created on the first day is destined to wither; that is what is written: “As the heavens will be eroded like smoke and the earth will be tattered like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6).
They objected: It is written: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day,” “…a third day,” through the sixth day. He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created during the six days of Creation requires action, as they were not completely made, e.g. wheat requires grinding, and mustard and lupines require sweetening.
They objected: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as that resulted in that bear¹⁸Potifar’s wife. confronting him.
They objected: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day, Moses summoned Aaron and his sons” (Leviticus 9:1). He said to them: That, too, is not good, as on that day, Nadav and Avihu died and all of Israel lamented them, as it is stated: “Your brethren, the entire house of Israel, will lament the burning” (Leviticus 10:6).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses completed assembling the Tabernacle” (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it was put away when the eternal Temple was built.
They objected: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joshua” (Joshua 6:27). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day Ya’ir, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin, was killed; that is what is written: “The men of Ai smote them, about thirty-six men” (Joshua 7:5). Thirty-six men is not written, but rather “like thirty-six;”¹⁹ The verse says: “The men of the Ai killed about thirty-six [ki-shloshim ve-shisha] men…” The prepositional ‘ki-’ can designate approximation, “about thirty-six” or comparison, “like thirty-six.” that is Ya’ir, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin [of 70 or 71 members]. What is written there? “Joshua rent his garments” (Joshua 7:6).
They objected: “David was [vayhi] successful in all his ways” (I Samuel 18:14). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it resulted in what is written: Saul felt enmity to David” (I Samuel 18:9).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] when David dwelled in his house” (I Chronicles 17:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day, Natan the prophet came and said to him: “It will not be you who builds Me the House” (I Chronicles 17:4).
They said to him: We said ours, now you say yours. He said to them, it is written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar and the hills will flow with milk” (Joel 4:18). “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge from Jerusalem” (Zechariah 14:8). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man shall keep a calf of the herd and two sheep alive, and from the abundance of milk produced, he will eat butter, for everyone who remains in the midst of the land will eat butter and honey” (Isaiah 7:21-22). “The remnant of Jacob will be [vehaya] among the nations, in the midst of many peoples like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he passes, tramples and mauls, and there is no deliverer” (Micah 5:7). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, that a great shofar will be sounded, and the lost in the land of Assyria and the outcasts in the land of Egypt will come and bow down to the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 27:13). “He will be [vehaya] like a tree planted near streams of water which yields fruit in season; its leaves shall not wither, and whatever he does will prosper” (Psalms 1:3).
They objected to him: “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: Even that is not trouble but joy, as on that day, Menaḥem²⁰The Messiah. was born and Israel made penance for its sins, as Rav and Shmuel say: Israel made great penance at the moment that the Temple was destroyed. That is what is written: “Your sin is completed, daughter of Zion” (Lamentations 4:22).

Rabbi Tanḥuma, Rabbi Berekhya, and Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great interpreted in the name of Rabbi Elazar: This midrash came up with us from the Exile. Everyplace that vayhi is stated, it means nothing but trouble. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman interpreted in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: This midrash came into our possession. Everyplace that vayhi bimei is stated, it means nothing but trouble.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: They are five:
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Amrafel king of Shinar, Ariokh, king of Elasar, Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goyim” (Genesis 14:1). What was the trouble there? “They waged war with Bera, king of Sodom…” (Genesis 14:2). [This is analogous] to the beloved of a king who resided in a province and, for his sake, the king attended to that province. When barbarians came and afflicted him [the beloved of the king], they [the other residents of the province] said: ‘Woe unto us that the king is not attending to the province the way that he once did.’ So too, Abraham our patriarch, the beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:4). For his sake, the Holy One blessed be He attended to His entire world. That is what is written: “They returned and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7). They sought to afflict only the eye of the world [Abraham]. They sought to blind the eye that acts upon the attribute of justice in the world. ¹⁶ This probably means that Abraham is responsible for the suppression of the attribute of justice, the result of which is that God rules the world through the attribute of mercy. “Which is [hi] Kadesh” – Rabbi Aḥa said: Hu [i.e. he rather than she] is written. He [Abraham] sanctified [kiddesh] the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and he went into the fiery furnace. When everyone saw that all the kings came to afflict him, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the reign of Amrafel.”
“It was during the days [vayhi bimei] when the judges judged; there was a famine in the land and a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to stay in the field of Moab, he, his wife, and his two sons” (Ruth 1:1). What was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land.” [This is comparable] to a province that owed a tax to the king, and the king sent a tax collector to collect it. What did the residents of the province do? They suspended him [on a pole] and struck him and extracted it [the money] from him. They said: Woe unto us when the king becomes aware of these matters; we did to the emissary of the king what he sought to do to us. So too, when one of the people of Israel would perform inappropriate actions, they would take him to the judge, and what the judge sought to do to the defendant, the defendant would do to the judge. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: You humiliate your judges; by your lives, I will bring upon you a matter that you are unable to endure. What is that? It is famine, as it is stated: “It was during the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1).
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Aḥaz son of Yotam, son of Uziyahu, king of Judah; Retzin, king of Aram and Pekaḥ, son of Remalyahu, king of Israel, went to war against Jerusalem, but he was unable to make war against it” (Isaiah 7:1). What was the trouble there? It was as it is written: “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west” (Isaiah 9:11). [This is comparable] to a king who handed his son over to a tutor, and his tutor hated him. He said: If I kill him, I will be condemned to death by the king; instead, I will withhold his nurse from him, and he will die on his own. So too, Aḥaz said: If there are no kids, there are no goats, and if there are no goats there is no flock, and if there is no flock there is no shepherd, and if there is no shepherd, the world cannot exist. So Aḥaz thought and said: If there are no children, there are no adults, and if there are no adults there are no students, if there are no students there are no scholars, if there are no scholars there are no elders, if there are no elders there is no Torah, if there is no Torah there are no synagogues and study halls, if there are no synagogues and study halls, the Holy One, blessed be He, will not rest His Divine Presence in the world. What did he do? He arose and locked all the synagogues and study halls, so that no one would engage in Torah study. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Why was he named Aḥaz? It is because he seized [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Aḥa derived it from this verse, as it is written: “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for Him” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no time that was as grim for Israel as that time, as it is stated: “I will conceal My face on that day because of all the evil that they did…” (Deuteronomy 31:18). But from that moment I hoped for Him,¹⁷A reference to the verse quoted above “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope for Him” (Isaiah 8:17). as it is written: “As it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21). What did you [Aḥaz] accomplish? “Behold, I [Isaiah] and the children whom the Lord gave me are to become signs and wonders in Israel” (Isaiah 8:18). Were they his children? Surely, they were nothing but his students! Rather, from here [we learn] that a person’s student is called his son. Once everyone saw that he seized the synagogues and study halls, they began screaming: Woe [vai]: “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Yehoyakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month” (Jeremiah 1:3). What was the trouble there? “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder; the heavens, and their light is not” (Jeremiah 4:23). [This is comparable] to a king who sent letters from province to province and in each and every province that his letters reached, they would embrace and kiss them, standing on their feet, baring their heads and reading them with reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling. When they reached the king’s province, they read them, ripped them, and burned them. That is what is written: “It was, as Yehudi would read three columns or four,” (Jeremiah 36:23) – three or four verses. When they reached the fifth verse: “Its besiegers are ascendant” (Lamentations 1:5), immediately: “He would cut it with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). Once everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was during the days of [vayhi bimei] Aḥashverosh; that Aḥashverosh who reigned from India to Kush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces” (Esther 1:1). What was the trouble there? It was “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). [This is comparable] to a king who entered a vineyard and encountered three enemies: The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began trimming the clusters, and the third began uprooting vines. So too, wicked Pharaoh began picking unripe grapes; that is what is written: “Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying: Every son who is born you shall cast into the Nile…” (Exodus 1:22).
Nebuchadnezzar, may his bones be crushed, began trimming the clusters; that is what is written: “He exiled Yehoyakhin…and the artisans and the smiths, one thousand” (II Kings 24:14). Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda said: One thousand artisans and one thousand smiths; the Rabbis said: One thousand artisans and smiths. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: These are the Torah scholars. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak said: These are the notables.
Haman the wicked, may he be crushed and wiped out, began uprooting the vines; that is what is written: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). He sought to undermine the foundation of Israel, he wanted to devastate the whole house [of Israel]. Once everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh.”
Shimon bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Yonatan said: Everywhere that vayhi is stated it refers to trouble or to joy; if it is to trouble, it is unparalleled trouble, if it is to joy, it is unparalleled joy. Rabban Shmuel bar Naḥman came and suggested a different distinction: Everywhere that it says vayhi (it was), it refers to trouble, everywhere that it says vehaya (it will be), joy.
They objected: Is it not written: “God said: Let there be light, and there was [vayhi] light”? He said to them: Even that is not joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: By the light that was created on the first day, a person could look out and see from one end of the world to the other end. When the Holy One, blessed be He, perceived that the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion (after the Tower of Babel) were destined to sin before Him, He arose and concealed it from them. That is what is written: “From the wicked was withheld their light” (Job 38:15). Where did He conceal it? In the Garden of Eden; that is what is written: “Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright” (Psalms 97:11).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created on the first day is destined to wither; that is what is written: “As the heavens will be eroded like smoke and the earth will be tattered like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6).
They objected: It is written: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day,” “…a third day,” through the sixth day. He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created during the six days of Creation requires action, as they were not completely made, e.g. wheat requires grinding, and mustard and lupines require sweetening.
They objected: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as that resulted in that bear¹⁸Potifar’s wife. confronting him.
They objected: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day, Moses summoned Aaron and his sons” (Leviticus 9:1). He said to them: That, too, is not good, as on that day, Nadav and Avihu died and all of Israel lamented them, as it is stated: “Your brethren, the entire house of Israel, will lament the burning” (Leviticus 10:6).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses completed assembling the Tabernacle” (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it was put away when the eternal Temple was built.
They objected: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joshua” (Joshua 6:27). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day Ya’ir, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin, was killed; that is what is written: “The men of Ai smote them, about thirty-six men” (Joshua 7:5). Thirty-six men is not written, but rather “like thirty-six;”¹⁹ The verse says: “The men of the Ai killed about thirty-six [ki-shloshim ve-shisha] men…” The prepositional ‘ki-’ can designate approximation, “about thirty-six” or comparison, “like thirty-six.” that is Ya’ir, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin [of 70 or 71 members]. What is written there? “Joshua rent his garments” (Joshua 7:6).
They objected: “David was [vayhi] successful in all his ways” (I Samuel 18:14). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it resulted in what is written: Saul felt enmity to David” (I Samuel 18:9).
They objected: “It was [vayhi] when David dwelled in his house” (I Chronicles 17:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day, Natan the prophet came and said to him: “It will not be you who builds Me the House” (I Chronicles 17:4).
They said to him: We said ours, now you say yours. He said to them, it is written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar and the hills will flow with milk” (Joel 4:18). “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge from Jerusalem” (Zechariah 14:8). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man shall keep a calf of the herd and two sheep alive, and from the abundance of milk produced, he will eat butter, for everyone who remains in the midst of the land will eat butter and honey” (Isaiah 7:21-22). “The remnant of Jacob will be [vehaya] among the nations, in the midst of many peoples like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he passes, tramples and mauls, and there is no deliverer” (Micah 5:7). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, that a great shofar will be sounded, and the lost in the land of Assyria and the outcasts in the land of Egypt will come and bow down to the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 27:13). “He will be [vehaya] like a tree planted near streams of water which yields fruit in season; its leaves shall not wither, and whatever he does will prosper” (Psalms 1:3).
They objected to him: “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: Even that is not trouble but joy, as on that day, Menaḥem²⁰The Messiah. was born and Israel made penance for its sins, as Rav and Shmuel say: Israel made great penance at the moment that the Temple was destroyed. That is what is written: “Your sin is completed, daughter of Zion” (Lamentations 4:22).

“Flee, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young deer on the mountains of spices” (Song of Songs 8:14).
“Flee, my beloved, and be like a gazelle [tzevi]” – [flee] to the hosts [tzava] On High, who praise Your glory with one voice, in one melody; “on the mountains of spices” – in the upper heavens of heavens.⁵⁹In this exposition, the midrash has interpreted the verse as directed toward God.
Another matter: “Flee, my beloved” – from the Diaspora, in which we are located and are sullied with iniquities. “And be like a gazelle” – render us pure like a gazelle;⁶⁰The gazelle is one of the rare undomesticated animals that is “pure,” in the sense that it is permitted to eat it. “or a young deer [haayalim]” – accept our prayers like an offering of goats and rams [eilim]. “On the mountains of spices” – come to have a fine fragrance by the merit of our patriarchs, whose fragrance rises before You like spices. This is the Garden of Eden, which is entirely spices. That is why it is stated: “On the mountains of spices.”
Another matter: “The one who dwells in the gardens, companions” (Song of Songs 8:13) – Rabbi Yirmeya [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great: If two colleagues debate a matter of halakha and yield to one another in halakha, the verse states in their regard: “Then those who fear the Lord spoke [nidberu] one to another, and the Lord listened and heard” (Malachi 3:16); and dibbur is an expression of nothing other than subduing, as it is stated: “He subdues [yadber] peoples beneath us” (Psalms 47:4). Moreover, if they were mistaken, The Holy One blessed be He corrects their error for them. What is the source? “The Lord listened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and those who think of His name” (Malachi 3:16). “The Lord… heard and [a book of remembrance] was written” – [this indicates] that He writes it on their hearts, just as it says: “On their heart I will write it” (Jeremiah 31:32). “A book of remembrance [was written] before Him” – that He reminds them of it. For whom? “For those who fear the Lord and those who think of His name.”
Rabbi Yudan said: When Israel is reading the Torah in groups,⁶¹This is based on the similarity of the word groups [ḥavurot] and companions [ḥaverim]. “your voice, let me hear it” (Song of Songs 8:13). If not, “flee, my beloved.” Rabbi Zeira said: When Israel recites Shema in unison, with one voice, with one melody, “your voice, let me hear it.” If not, “flee, my beloved.”
“Flee, my beloved” – Rabbi Levi said: [This is analogous] to a king who made a feast and invited guests. Some of them were eating and drinking and blessing the king, and some of them were eating and drinking and cursing the king. The king sensed it and sought to introduce commotion at his feast and break it up. A noblewoman entered and advocated on their behalf. She said to him: My lord the king: Instead of looking at those who are eating and drinking and cursing you, look at those who are eating and drinking and blessing you and praising your name. So too, when Israel are eating and drinking, blessing, praising, and lauding the Holy One blessed be He, He hears their voices and is appeased. When the nations of the world eat and drink, curse, blaspheme, and scorn the Holy One blessed be He with the licentiousness that they mention, at that moment, the Holy One blessed be He considers even destroying His world. The Torah enters and advocates and says: Master of the universe, instead of looking at those who blaspheme and anger You, look at Your people Israel, who bless, praise, and laud Your great name with Torah, hymns, and praise. The Divine Spirit shouts: “Flee, my beloved”; flee from the nations of the world and cleave to Israel.
“And be like a gazelle” – just as this gazelle, while it is sleeping, one of its eyes is open and one of its eyes is closed, so too: when Israel performs the will of the Holy One blessed be He, He looks upon them with His two eyes; that is what is written: “The eyes of the Lord are to the righteous” (Psalms 34:16). But when they do not perform the will of the Holy One blessed be He, He looks upon them with one of His eyes, as it is stated: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is toward those who fear Him, [toward those who await His mercy, to deliver their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine]” (Psalms 33:18–19).⁶²Even when they do not sufficiently fulfill the will of God, He still protects them due to whatever fear of God they still do have, although He does so with “one eye.” He protects them from death and famine but does not grant them abundance.
“On the mountains of spices” – Rabbi Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He said: Wait for Me until I sit in judgment on their mountains, that is, their guardian angels, who are situated with Me in Heaven. That is what is written: “On the mountains of spices.”⁶³The word spices [besamim] can also be vocalized to read bashamayim, in Heaven. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Like this: “You shall take for yourself chief spices” (Exodus 30:23) – chief.⁶⁴The word “chief” in the verse is unnecessary, as the continuation of the verse details exactly which spices should be brought. This indicates that the word spices refers to that which is “chief,” of primary importance. Consequently, the verse in Song of Songs can be understood to refer to the guardian angels of the nations, even without reading besamim and bashamayim (Yefe Kol). Camels bearing gold, and “spices”⁶⁵This is based on I Kings 10:2, which describes what the Queen of Sheba brought to Solomon, and states that she brought “camels that bore spices and gold.” – gold and spices.⁶⁶This sentence is difficult to understand, and some commentaries suggest that it does not belong in the text (see Yefe Kol). Some suggest that the midrash is highlighting, based on the verse in Kings, that gold and spices are items associated with royalty and greatness. Therefore, the reference to spices in the verse in Song of Songs can refer to the guardian angels of the nations, which represent their ultimate level of power and greatness.
Rabbi Ḥonya [said] regarding the statement of Rabbi Yitzḥak: The Holy One blessed be He does not exact retribution from a nation below until He humbles its guardian angels above. There are five verses in this regard. One, as it is written: “It will be on that day that the Lord will reckon with the host of the heavens in Heaven” (Isaiah 24:21), and thereafter “with the kings of the earth” (Isaiah 24:21). Two, “how have you fallen from the heavens, shining morning star” (Isaiah 14:12), and thereafter, “you have been felled to the ground” (Isaiah 14:12). Three, “For my sword has been sated in the heavens” (Isaiah 34:5), and thereafter, “it shall descend upon Edom” (Isaiah 34:5). Four, “to bind their kings with fetters” (Psalms 149:8), and thereafter, “and their nobles with iron chains” (Psalms 149:8). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: “To bind their kings with fetters” – these are the guardian angels above, “and their nobles with iron chains,” these are the rulers below. Five, “to execute judgment as it is written” (Psalms 149:9), and thereafter, “this is glory for all His devoted ones, Halleluya” (Psalms 149:9).
The greatness of Israel is likened to four matters: to the grain harvest, to the grape harvest, to spices, and to a birthing mother. To the grain harvest: When a field is reaped before its time, even its straw is no good, but at its time, it is good. That is what is written: “Extend the scythe, as the harvest is ripe” (Joel 4:13). It is likened to the grape harvest: When a vineyard is harvested before its time, even its vinegar is no good, but at its time, it is good. So too, “sing about it, a vineyard of wine” (Isaiah 27:2) – when the vineyard becomes [ready to produce] wine, pluck it. It is likened to spices: Just as spices that are harvested when they are soft and moist, their fragrance does not diffuse; but when they are dry and are then harvested, their fragrance diffuses. It is likened to a birthing mother: When a woman gives birth before her time, the offspring does not survive. When she gives birth at her time, it lives. Thus, it is written: “Therefore, He will give them up until the time that the birthing mother gives birth” (Micah 5:2). Rabbi Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: “I am the Lord, at its time I will hasten it” (Isaiah 60:22) – if you do not merit, at its time. If you merit, I will hasten it.⁶⁷Redemption will come by a particular time, but if Israel merits, it will come sooner. So may it be His will, speedily in our days, amen.

... “Moab is my washbasin…” (Tehillim 60:10) When Israel entered into their land in order to inherit it, the Holy One forbid them to conquer these three nations, as it says “Do not distress the Moabites…” (Devarim 2:9) So too regarding Edom it is written “You shall not provoke them…” (Devarim 2:5) From where do we learn that they were not to conquer the land of the Pelishtim? Because it is written “God did not lead them [by] way of the land of the Philistines for it was near…” (Shemot 12:17) The oath which Avraham swore to Avimelech was still near in time, “And now, swear to me here by God, that you will not lie to me or to my son or to my grandson…” (Bereshit 21:23) His grandson was still alive. In the future the Holy One will permit Israel to conquer all three, as it says “And they shall fly of one accord against the Philistines in the west, together they shall plunder the children of the East; upon Edom and Moab shall they stretch forth their hand, and the children of Ammon shall obey them.” (Yeshayahu 11:14) And it is translated as ‘they will join shoulder to shoulder as one to wipe out the Phillistines.’ Therefore it says “…Philistia, join me…” (Tehillim 60:10), Edom and Moav are their occupation as it says “Moab is my washbasin; on Edom I will throw my lock…” (ibid.)

It is written (in Micah 5:6 [7]): THEN THE REMNANT OF JACOB SHALL BE IN THE MIDST OF MANY PEOPLES, < LIKE DEW >…. THEN THE REMNANT OF JACOB…. These are the remnant of which the Holy One spoke to Elijah (in I Kings 19:18): YET I WILL LEAVE SEVEN THOUSAND IN ISRAEL, ALL THE KNEES THAT HAVE NOT KNELT TO BAAL >….⁷⁷Cf. Romans 11:4. These are also the ones who were separated out in the days of Gideon when he said to the Holy One (in Jud. 6:36f.): IF YOU WILL REALLY SAVE ISRAEL BY MY HAND, AS YOU SAID, SEE, I AM PLACING < A FLEECE OF WOOL >…. The Holy One said to him: I have had it written (in Hos. 14:6 [5]): I WILL BE FOR ISRAEL LIKE THE DEW. But you have said (in Jud. 6:37, cont.): < IF THERE IS DEW UPON FLEECE ONLY > AND DRYNESS UPON ALL THE GROUND, < I WILL KNOW >…. Is it possible! I do not act so! How is it shown? In that "and God did so" is not written here (in vs. 38) but AND IT WAS SO, < i.e., > it happened of its own accord. However, when he said (in vs. 39): LET THERE BE DRYNESS UPON THE FLEECE ONLY, < there follows > immediately (in vs. 40): AND GOD DID SO ON THAT DAY…. Why? Because it is so written (in Hos. 14:6 [5]): I WILL BE FOR ISRAEL LIKE THE DEW. The Holy One said to him (in Jud. 7:4, 6): {THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WITH YOU ARE TOO MANY} [THE PEOPLE ARE STILL TOO MANY]. BRING THEM DOWN TO THE WATER, AND I WILL TEST THEM FOR YOU THERE…. NOW THE NUMBER OF THOSE WHO LAPPED…. Those who knelt upon their knees to drink water, willing or not, were bowing down to idols.⁷⁸According to the parallel account in Yalqut Shim‘oni, Jud., 62: “Gideon’s generation was bowing down to a reflection (in the water).” See ‘AZ 47a. The Holy One said to him (in vs. 7): THROUGH THE THREE HUNDRED MEN WHO LAPPED I WILL DELIVER YOU. As for the hundreds (of others) who have not bowed down, these have risen up. Concerning them it says (in I Kings 19:18): YET I WILL LET REMAIN IN ISRAEL SEVEN THOUSAND, ALL THE KNEES THAT HAVE NOT KNELT TO BAAL >…. So it is about them that it says (in Micah 5:6 [7]): THEN THE REMNANT OF JACOB SHALL BE < IN THE MIDST OF MANY PEOPLES >, LIKE DEW FROM THE LORD; for the dew is a sign⁷⁹Gk.: semion. of the resurrection of the dead. So also has Isaiah said (in Is. 26:19): LET YOUR DEAD LIVE! [LET MY CORPSES ARISE!… FOR YOUR DEW IS LIKE THE DEW OF LIGHTS]. Rav Ariste said in the name of R. Berekhyah: Isaiah proclaimed before the Holy One: LET YOUR DEAD LIVE, < i.e., > those who were dishonored {for our sake. One} was crucified.⁸⁰The Buber text, which reads “we shall crucify” instead of “was crucified,” is difficult. This translation follows Yalqut Shim‘oni, Is. 298 (430); Aggadat Bereshit 43:4. Why? Because he had circumcised his son. And one was burned. Why? Because he had observed the Sabbath. And another was killed. Why? Because he had read the Torah. For this reason it sae: LET YOUR DEAD LIVE, < i.e., > those who were dishonored {for our sake. One} was crucified.⁸¹The Buber text, which reads “we shall crucify” instead of “was crucified,” is difficult. This translation follows Yalqut Shim‘oni, Is. 298 (430); Aggadat Bereshit 43:4. Why? Because he had circumcised his son. And one was burned. Why? Because he had observed the Sabbath. And another was killed. Why? Because he had read the Torah. For this reason it saRIP DEW > >. You find that even righteous ones do not control the dew. {The Holy One said to him.} [Rather it is the Holy One] by himself. You want to know < that >, when Elijah arose and said (in I Kings 17:1): DURING THESE YEARS THERE SHALL NEITHER BE DEW NOR [RAIN, the Holy one did not hearken]. Instead, the dew was coming down. Where is it shown? Where he says to Elijah (in I Kings 18:1): GO, APPEAR TO AHAB, AND I WILL SEND [RAIN] < UPON THE FACE OF THE GROUND >. "Dew" is not written here. Instead < he said >: AND I WILL SEND RAIN UPON THE FACE OF THE GROUND. From here it follows that the dew had been coming down from the Holy One all the time in order to make known that no one is master of the dew but the Holy One. {And the Holy One said} [Thus did the Holy One say] to Israel: When you do my will, just as no mortal rules over the dew, so no mortal rules over you. Thus it is stated (in Micah 5:6 [7]): THEN THE REMNANT OF JACOB SHALL BE < IN THE MIDST OF MANY PEOPLES, LIKE DEW FROM THE LORD >….

(Gen. 20:1:) THEN ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THERE TO THE LAND OF THE NEGEV. This text is related (to Job 14:18): AND YET A FALLING MOUNTAIN WILL CRUMBLE.⁹²M. Pss. 53:2; cf. Gen. R. 52:1ff. This is Sodom and its companion cities, as stated (in Gen. 19:23f.): THE SUN HAD RISEN UPON THE EARTH…. THEN THE LORD RAINED DOWN < UPON SODOM AND UPON GOMORRAH BRIMSTONE AND FIRE … AND HE DESTROYED THOSE CITIES >. R. Samuel bar Nahmani said: Woe to those wicked people because they cause a place of mercy to become a place of retribution. Wherefore, note how David gives praise⁹³Gk.: kalos. (in Ps. 148:1, 7f.): HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD FROM THE HEAVENS…. < PRAISE THE LORD … FIRE AND HAIL >…. But there is no fire there < in the heavens >, no hail, and no brimstone. Our colleague R. Ariste (citing Ps. 96:6) said: HONOR AND MAJESTY ARE BEFORE HIM. Where is there a place for retribution? From on earth, as stated (in Ps. 148:7) PRAISE THE LORD FROM THE EARTH, YOU SEA MONSTERS AND ALL OCEAN DEEPS. Ergo: < Retribution is > FROM THE EARTH. < Then > how can it be written (in Gen. 19:24): THEN THE LORD RAINED DOWN … < FROM THE LORD OUT OF THE HEAVENS > ? Simply to teach you < this >: From the beginning when they were created, the Holy One gave a decree concerning them and said to them: In accordance with how you shall see the creatures, so let it be done to them.⁹⁴Cf. Mark 4:24 & //s; Galatians 6:7f. A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a caldron⁹⁵Gk.: miliarion; Lat.: miliarium. of gold. < Whoever > wanted warm water would find < some > within it. < Whoever > wanted it cold would take < some > out of it. < Whoever > wanted burning coals would take < some > out of it. So < also > the Holy One said to the heavens: Whatever you see, do. For the Sodomites and the children of Esau there would be brimstone and fire; for Israel, dew. Thus it is stated (in Micah 5:6 [7]): THEN THE REMNANT OF JACOB SHALL BE IN THE MIDST OF MANY PEOPLES, LIKE DEW. The Holy One said: What need do I have for these people? He immediately destroyed them, as stated (in Gen. 19:25): AND HE DESTROYED THOSE CITIES…. Ergo, it says (in Job 14:18): AND YET A FALLING MOUNTAIN WILL CRUMBLE, AND THE ROCK IS REMOVED FROM ITS PLACE. Now there is no rock but Abraham, as stated (in Is. 51:1f.): LOOK UNTO THE ROCK FROM WHICH YOU WERE HEWN … < LOOK UNTO ABRAHAM >. < He is the one > who journeyed from his place, as stated (in Gen. 20:1): THEN ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THERE < TO THE LAND OF THE NEGEV >….

And just as dew descends for blessing, so, rain. And thus is it written (Bereshith 27:28) "And may G-d give you of the dew of the heavens," and (Devarim 32:2) "My teaching (Torah) shall drip as the rain," and (Hosea 14:6) "I shall be like the dew to Israel," and (Michah 5:6) "And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the L-rd, like the droplets upon the grass."

Another [understanding]: And it was in the days of Amrafel: Rabbi Tanchuma in the name of Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Berakhiya in the name of Rabbi Elazar [all] said, "This midrash came up to our hands from the exile - 'Any place that it is stated, "and it was in the days of," it is nothing but a term of grief.'" "And it was in the days of Amrafel" (Genesis 14:1): What grief was there over there? They made a war. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Natan, "And there are five": (1) [It is comparable] to a dear friend of a king who entered a province, and on his account was the king [concerned] about that whole province. [Then] barbarians came and grappled with him. And when he wanted to leave, they all said to him, "Woe that the king will no longer be concerned about the province as he was": So [too,] was Avraham a dear friend of the Holy One, blessed be He - as it is written about him (Isaiah 41:8), "the seed of Avraham, My dear one"; and it is written (Genesis 12:3), "and through you shall all the families of the world be blessed." And when the barbarians came and grappled with him, they all said, "Woe that the Holy One, blessed be He, will not be concerned with the world as He was; since He was concerned with the world for his sake." This is [the meaning of] that which the verse stated (Genesis 14:7), "And they came to Ein Mishpat (which can be understand as the eye of justice)" - Rabbi Acha said, "They sought to grapple with no less than the eyeball of the world." They said, "They sought to blind the eye that [suppressed] the trait of [strict] judgment in the world." [The verse continues -] "It (hee) is Kadesh," [but] it is written, "he (hu) is Kadesh"; meaning to say, he sanctified (hu kidesh) the name of the Holy One, blessed be He and went down to the fiery furnace. When they saw that the things were like this, they cried out. (2) "And it was in the days of Achaz the son of Yoshiah, King of Yehudah" (Isaiah 7:1). What grief was there over there? "It is what is stated by the verse (Isaiah 9:11), "Aram is in front and the Philistines are behind, etc." [It is comparable] to a king that gave his son over to a mentor, and the mentor hated him. He said, "If I kill him, I will become liable for death. Rather, I will take away his nourishment from him and he will die on his own": So did the evil Achaz say, "If there are no goats, there will be no rams; if there is no flock, there will be no shepherd, [and] where will the world be?" So did he say, "If there are no masters, there will be no students; if there are no students, there will be no sages; if there is no Torah, there will be no synagogues and study halls." What did he do? He passed all the synagogues and study halls and sealed them. And this [is the meaning of] that which the verse states (Isaiah 8:16), "Bind up the message; seal the instruction with My disciples.".... And when they saw that the things were like this, they all started to cried out, "Woe that the world is being destroyed" - when [study of] the Torah was negated, that was in the days of Achaz. (3) "And it was in the days of Yehoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu" (Jeremiah 1:3). What grief was there over there? "I looked at the earth, and behold it was empty and void; at the heavens and their light was not" (Jeremiah 4:23), [It is comparable] to edicts of the kings that were were brought to the province. What did the people of the province do? They tore them up and burned them. This is what the verse stated (Jeremiah 36:23), "And it was when Yehudi would read three columns or four" - meaning to say, he read four verses - and in the fifth verse, he read, "And her tormentors became the head" (Lamentations 1:5) - and it is is written (Jeremiah 36:23), "he would tear it with a scribe's blade and throw it into the fire until the end of all of the scroll." And when they saw this, everyone began to cry out, "Woe for the decree that is hanging over us." (4) "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" (Ruth 1:1) - there was famine there. [And to what is the matter comparable?] To a province that was liable a tax to the king. [So] he sent collectors to collect it. The people of the province rose and smote the collectors and hung them. The judgment that they were liable - as they appointed other judges for themselves - they did to the collectors. So did they do at that time.... (5) "And it was in the days of Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1). What grief was there over there? [It is comparable] to a king that had a vineyard, and he had three enemies. What did they do? One cut the small berries, the second ripped the clusters and the third uprooted the vines: So did Pharaoh began with the small berries, as it is stated (Exodus 1:22), "Any son that is born, throw him into the river." Nevukhadnetsar [ripped the clusters,] as it is stated (Jeremiah 29:2), "the craftsmen and the smiths".... Haman [then] came [to] uproot the vines, as it is stated (Esther 3:13), "to annihilate, to kill and to destroy." Everyone began to cry out, "Woe." Rabbi Shimon ben Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (vayehi),' it is used for grief and it is used for joy. And when for grief, there is no grief like it, and when for joy, there is no joy like it." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman came and divided it, "Any place that it is stated 'it will be,' it is used for joy; [but] 'and it was' [is for] grief." The Sages responded, "Behold 'And God said, "Vayehi (here used as a command form, and not past tense) light"' [is] joy!" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. As so did Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon say, '[Regarding] the light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day, Adam [could] look and observe from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. [But] since the Holy One, blessed be He, saw the deeds of the generation of Enosh and the generation of the flood, He arose and hid it from them. That is [the meaning of] what the verse states (Job 38:15), "From the wicked is their light withheld." And to where is it hidden? [It is] in the Garden of Eden, for the righteous ones, as it is stated (Psalms 97:11), "Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the straight-hearted."'" They responded to him further, "It states, 'And it was evening and it was morning, one day.'" He said to them, "On that day too, it is not of joy, as all the acts of the first day are destined to wither, as it is stated (Isaiah 51:6), 'when the heavens melt away like smoke and the earth wither like a garment.'" They responded to him, "Behold, the [acts of] the second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day." He said to them, "They too are not of joy, as all the acts of the six days of creation require further action - for example, wheat needs to be ground; mustard needs to be mellowed; lupine need to be mellowed." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yosef and he was a successful man' (Genesis 39:7)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as that 'bear' chanced upon him from this, as it is stated in the verse, 'after' - 'And it was after these things, and the wife of his master raised, etc.' (Genesis 39:7)...." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yehoshua, and his reputation was in all the land' (Joshua 6:27)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as he had to rend his garments." They responded to him, "And is it not written (I Samuel 18:14), 'And it was that David was successful in all of his ways and the Lord was with him'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as enmity descended into the heart of Shaul from this, as it is stated (I Samuel 18:9), 'And it was that Shaul eyed David.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (II Samuel 7:1), 'And it was when the king sat in his house and the Lord allowed him rest from all of his enemies'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as on that same day, Natan the prophet came to David and said to him, 'However you will not build the House' (I Kings 8:19)." They said to him, "Behold, we have said what is ours; [now] say what is yours - that 'and it will be' is joy." He said to them, "'And it will be on that day that the mountains will drip with nectar' (Joel 4:18), that will be in the days of the messiah, and there will be great joy for Israel. And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that a man shall save alive a heifer of the herd and two sheep' (Isaiah 7:21). And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that living waters will come out from Jerusalem' (Zechariah 14:8). And so [too,] 'And he will be like a tree planted over streams of water' (Psalms 1:3). And so [too,] 'And the remnant of Yaakov will be among many nations' (Micah 5:6)." They said to him, "But behold, it is written (Jeremiah 38:28), 'vahaya (here used in the past tense, and not like the other examples) when Jerusalem was captured'!" He said to them, "It too is not of grief, as on that day was the verdict of Israel for their sins taken; as so is it written (Lamentations 4:22), 'Your sin has been completed, Daughter of Zion, He will not again exile you.'"

Rabbi Ishmael said: The five fingers of the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, all of them appertain to the mystery of the Redemption. He showed the little finger of the hand to Noah, (pointing out) how to make the ark, as it is said, "And this is how thou shalt make it" (Gen. 6:15). With the second finger, which is next to the little one, He smote the firstborn of the Egyptians, as it is said, "The magicians said unto Pharaoh, || This is the finger of God" (Ex. 8:19). With how many (plagues) were they smitten with the finger? With ten plagues. With the third finger, which is the third (starting from) the little finger, He wrote the tables (of the Law), as it is said, "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him… tables of stone, written with the finger of God" (Ex. 31:18). With the fourth finger, which is next to the thumb, the Holy One, blessed be He, showed to Moses what the children of Israel should give for the redemption of their souls, as it is said, "This they shall give… half a shekel for an offering to the Lord" (Ex. 30:18). With the thumb and all the hand the Holy One, blessed be He, will smite in the future all the children of Esau, for they are His foes, and likewise (will He smite) the children of Ishmael, for they are His enemies, as it is said, "Let thine hand be lifted up above thine adversaries, and let all thine enemies be cut off" (Mic. 5:9).

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.

Variantly: "And He said: The L-rd came from Sinai": When the L-rd appeared to give Torah to Israel, it is not to Israel alone that He appeared, but to all of the nations. First He went to the children of Esav, and He asked them: Will you accept the Torah? They asked: What is written in it? He answered: "You shall not kill" (Shemoth 20:13). They answered: The entire essence of our father is murder, as it is written (Bereshith 27:22) "And the hands are the hands of Esav." And it is with this that his father assured him (Ibid. 27:40) "And by your sword shall you live." He then went to the children of Ammon and Moav and asked them: Will you accept the Torah? They asked: What is written in it? He answered "You shall not commit adultery." They answered: L-rd of the Universe, ervah (illicit relations) is our entire essence, as it is written (Ibid. 19:36) "And the two daughters of Lot conceived by their father." He then went and found the children of Yishmael and asked them: Will you accept the Torah? They asked: What is written in it? He answered: "You shall not steal" (Shemoth, Ibid.) They answered: L-rd of the Universe, our father's entire essence is stealing, viz. (Bereshith 16:12) "And he (Yishmael) shall be a wild man, his hand against all." There was none among all of the nations to whom He did not go and speak and knock at their door, asking if they would accept the Torah, viz. (Psalms 138:4) "All the kings of the earth will acknowledge You, O L-rd, for they heard the words of Your mouth." I might think they heard and accepted; it is, therefore, written (Ezekiel 33:31) "And they did not do them (the mitzvoth)." And (Michah 5:14) "And with anger and wrath will I take revenge of the nations because they did not accept (the mitzvoth)." And even the seven mitzvoth that the sons of Noach took upon themselves they could not abide by, until they divested themselves of them and ceded them to Israel. An analogy: One sent his ass and his dog to the threshing floor, loading his ass with a lethech (a dry measure) and his dog with three sa’ah. The ass went and the dog buckled, whereupon he took a sa'ah from it and put it on the ass; and so with the second (sa’ah) and so with the third. Here, too, Israel accepted the Torah with all of its explanations and inferences; but the sons of Noach could not even abide by the seven mitzvoth that they did take upon themselves, until they divested themselves of them and ceded them to Israel, wherefore it is written "And he said: The L-rd came from Sinai, etc."

R. Meir says: She died in the portion of Benjamin, her son, as it is written (Ibid. 48:7) "for when I came from Paden, Rachel died upon me … before Efrath, etc." And Efrath is none other than Bethlehem, viz. (Michah 5:1) "And you, Bethlehem, Efrathah." I might think, in the portion of Joseph, her son; it is, therefore, written (Psalms 132:6) "Behold, we heard of it in Efrath; we found it in the field of the forest" — with him who is compared to an animal of the forest. And who is that? Benjamin, as it is written (Bereshith 49:27) "Benjamin is a wolf that will tear."