Midrash su Salmi 66:12

R. Abba b. Cahana based his [Purim] lecture on this passage (Ecc. 2, 26) For to a man who is good in His presence He giveth wisdom and knowledge and joy, this refers to Mordecai, the upright; but to the sinner he giveth employment to gather up and to bring together, that refers to Haman; that he may give it to him that is good before God, refers to Mordecai, concerning whom it is written (Est. 8, 2) And Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman. Rabba b. Uphran based his [Purim] lecture on the following passage (Jer. 49, 39) And I will set up my thrown in Elam, and I will destroy thence kings and princes; i.e., kings, refers to Vashti, and princes, refers to Haman and his ten sons. R. Dimi b. Isaac based his [Purim] lecture on (Fol. 11) this passage (Ezra, 9, 9) For. we. are bondmen; yet in our bondage hath our God not forsaken us, but hath extended unto us kindness before the kings of Persia. When did He extend unto us kindness? In the time of Mordecai. R. Chanina b. Papa based his [Purim] lecture on this passage (Ps. 66, 12) Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but Thou didst bring us out unto abundance, i.e., through fire, refers to the time of Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked; through water, refers to the time of Pharaoh. But Thou didst bring us out unto abundance, refers to the time of Haman. R. Jochanan based his lecture on this passage (Ib. 98, 3) He hath remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have been the salvation of our God. When did all the ends of the earth see it? In the time of Mordecai and Esther. Resh Lakish based his lecture on this passage (Prov. 28, 15) As a roaring lion and greedy bear, so is a wicked ruler over a poor people. As a roaring lion, refers to Nebuchadnezzar concerning whom it is written (Jer. 4, 7) The lion is come up from his lair. Greedy bear, refers to Ahasuerus, about whom it is written (Dan. 7, 5) And behold, there was another, a second beast, like a bear. Concerning which R. Joseph was taught that this refers to the Persians who eat and drink like a bear, and are fleshy like a bear, and let their hair grow like a bear, and have no repose like a bear; wicked ruler, refers to Haman; over a poor people, refers to Israel, who were then poor in meritorious deeds. R. Nachman b. Isaac based his lecture on this passage (Ps. 124, 2) If it had not been the Lord who was for us, when men rose up against us. Men, — not a king (referring to Haman). Raba based his lecture on this passage (Prov. 29, 2) When the righteous are in authority, the people will rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan; i.e., when the righteous rule, refers to Mordecai and Esther, [then] the people rejoice, as it is written (Est. 8, 15) And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king, etc. And the city of Shushan was glad and joyful. But when the wicked rule, this refers to Haman, [then] the people groan, and so says the passage (Ib. 3, 15) And the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed. R. Mathna preached with the following passage (Deut. 4, 7) For what great nation is there that hath God so nigh unto it? R. Ashi recited with the following passage (Ib. ib. 34) Or hath God essayed to go to take himself a nation from the midst of a nation.

R. Jochanan and R. Elazar both said: "When a man must apply for help to his fellow-men, his face changes like [the worm called] Kerum; as it is said (Ps. 12, 9.) Like a worm, so is the cheapness of the sons of men." What is Kerum? When R. Dimi came he related that among the sea-coast towns, there is a certain worm, the name of which is 'Kerum', and when the sun shines upon him, he changes into various colors. R. Ami and R. Ashi both say: "He [who has to apply for charity] is as if two judgments were passed upon him — those of fire and water, as it is said (Ps. 66, 12.) Thou hast caused man to ride on our heads; we entered into fire and into water."

[Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE, THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY.] What is the meaning of THE TESTIMONY? This is the Torah in which they would labor.¹⁸Tanh., Exod. 11:8; Exod. R. 51:7. The Holy One said to them: By virtue of the Torah and by virtue of the offerings, I am saving you from Gehinnom. Also in the case of their father Abraham, the Holy One showed him the Torah, the offerings, Gehinnom, and the empires (all of which were revealed to him in the theophany of Gen. 15):¹⁹PRK 5:2; PR 15:2; Gen. R. 44:21; M. Pss. 52:8; Mikhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Bahodesh 9; cf. Lev. R. 13:5. Torah (in Gen. 15:17): AND A FLAMING TORCH;²⁰Cf. Exod. R. 51:7, which relates this verse to the lightning on Mt. Sinai in Exod. 20:15 [18]. the offerings (in vs. 9): AND HE SAID UNTO HIM: BRING ME A THREE-YEAR-OLD HEIFER; Gehinnom (in vs. 17): A SMOKING OVEN; the empires (in vs. 12): AND LO, A GREAT DARK DREAD <FELL UPON HIM>. The Holy One said to him: As long as your children are engaged in <the first> two, they shall be saved from <the other > two. As long as they are engaged in the Torah and the offerings, they shall be saved from Gehinnom and from the empires. Now the Temple is going to be destroyed, and the offerings shall cease. Therefore, how do you say that your children should be enslaved? By Gehinnom or by the empires? Abraham chose the empires. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, Let them be enslaved by the empires, and let not one of them go down into Gehinnom. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 32:30): <HOW SHOULD ONE HAVE ROUTED A THOUSAND, OR TWO PUT TEN THOUSAND TO FLIGHT, > UNLESS THEIR ROCK HAD SOLD THEM? Now THEIR ROCK can only be their father Abraham, since it is stated (in Is. 51:1): LOOK UNTO THE ROCK OUT OF WHICH YOU WERE HEWN. (Deut. 32:30, cont.:) AND THE LORD HAD GIVEN THEM UP, because the Holy One had concurred with him (i.e., with Abraham in his decision to be enslaved by the empires). R. Hanina said: Abraham was standing in bewilderment, and did not know what to choose. The Holy One said to him: Make the decision. At that time the Holy One gave him a hint to choose the empires.²¹According to Exod. R. 51:7, the hint is found in Ps. 66:12. See also Tanh., Exod. 11:8. Ergo (in Exod. 38:21): THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE <…> OF THE TESTIMONY, <a testimony that> as long as Israel was engaged in the Torah and in the offerings, they would not go down into Gehinnom. The Holy One said to Israel: In this world you have been enslaved in the hands of empires, but in the world to come I will save you from Gehinnom by virtue of the Torah, which is called a fire, as stated (in Deut. 33:2): AT HIS RIGHT HAND THERE A FIERY LAW (dat) FOR THEM. So the fire (of Torah) puts out the fire (of Gehinnom), as stated (in Is. 43:2): WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE, YOU SHALL NOT BE SCORCHED, NEITHER SHALL THE FLAME BURN YOU.