Midrash su Salmi 76:9

Is that so? Did not R. Mair say: "Whence do we know that even a Gentile who is occupied with the study of the Law, is likened to a high-priest? The passage says (Lev. 18, 5) Which if a man do, shall live by it. It does not specify priest, Levite, or Israelite, but states in general if a man, whence it may be inferred that a Gentile, too, who occupies himself with the study of the Law is equal to a high-priest. We must therefore say that they will not be rewarded for the observance equally with those who observe in accordance with their command; as R. Chanina said: "The reward for him who observes that which he is commanded, is greater than to him who observes the same without being commanded." The nations will then plead the following: 'Sovereign of the Universe, has then Israel, who has accepted the Torah, observed it?' To which, the Holy One, praised be He! will respond: 'I testify that Israel did observe the entire Torah.' 'Sovereign of the Universe,' the nations will say, 'is then a father fit to be a witness in the case of his son? Is not Israel called the son of the Eternal (Ex. 4, 22) My son, my first-born, is Israel.' His reply will be: 'Let heaven and earth testify that Israel observed the entire Torah.' Again they will object, saying: 'Sovereign of the Universe! The heaven and earth are also interested in this case, and therefore are not fit to be witnesses, for it is said (Jer. 33, 25) If My covenant be not … the appointed ordinance of heaven and earth, would not be established. And Resh Lakish said: 'What is the meaning of the passage (Gen. 1, 31) And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Why the article Hay in the word Hashishi? From this it may be inferred that the Holy One, praised be He! stipulated with all that had been created during the six days to the effect that if Israel would accept the Torah, well and good, but if not He would return all of them to chaos and ruin.' Then the Holy One, praised be He! will say: 'Men of your nations may come and testify that Israel has observed the Torah. Nimrod may testify that Abraham did not worship idols. Laban may testify that Jacob was not suspected of robbery. The wife of Potiphar may testify that Joseph was not guilty of adultery. Nebuchadnezzar may testify that Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah did not bow themselves to the image; Darius of Daniel, that he did not abolish prayer; Eliphaz the Themanite, and Bildad the Schuchite, and Zophar the Na'amathite may say of all Israel that they observed all the Laws; as it is said (Is. 43, 9) Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified.' They will then exclaim: 'Sovereign of the Universe! give it to us now, and we will observe it!' To which the Holy One, praised be He! will answer: 'He who has prepared on the eve of Sabbath [for the Sabbath] will have to eat, but he who has not prepared, what then will he have to eat on Sabbath? However, I have one easy, meritorious act; it is the Succah, go and perform it.' But how can you say so [that they will be permitted to perform it in the world to come]? Has not R. Joshua b. Levi said: 'What is the meaning of the passage (Deut. 6, 6) Which I command thee this day to do? i.e., this day to do, but not tomorrow to do; this day to do, but not this day to be rewarded (in this world).' We must therefore explain, this, because the Holy One, praised be He! does not deal despotically with His creatures. (Why is it called easy? Because it requires no expense.) Immediately thereupon, everyone of them will prepare a Succah on his roof, and the Holy One, praised be He! will cause the sun to penetrate it. As soon as the sun heats them, they would kick the Succah with their feet, and go away, as it is said (Ps. 2, 3) Let us break their bands asunder, etc. Why cause the sun to penetrate? Have we not said above that the Holy One, praised be He! does not deal despotically with His creatures? This is because Israel has also to go through such inconvenience of the sun when the summer solstice is postponed until the month of Tishri [touching the feast of Tabernacles]. (Ib. b) But did not Raba say that he who is afflicted by performing the command of Succah, is exempt from that obligation? Yea, but not to kick at it. The Holy One, praised be He! will then smile upon them. Said R. Isaac: "There is no smiling with the Holy One, but on that day."

(Lev. 11:1-2:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying […], ‘Speak unto the Children of Israel, saying, “These are the creatures that you may eat….”’” It is stated (in Hab. 3:6), “He arose and measured the earth; He looked and made nations tremble.” What is the meaning of “He arose and measured the earth?”²⁸Tanh., Deut. 11:3. It is simply that, when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to give the Torah to Israel, He arose and measured (mdd) the earth.²⁹Cf. Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Bahodesh 1, 5; Lev. R. 8:2. Then he gave the Torah in public³⁰Gk.: parresia. in the desert.³¹The sense here is that the Holy One gave the Torah openly on neutral ground, not secretly in Israel. Therefore (in Hab. 3:6), “He arose and measured the earth,” because He wanted to return the world to the measurements of His waters, when the nations did not want to accept the Torah. If it had not been for Israel accepting it, the world would have returned to the measurements of His waters. [It is] just as you say (in Is. 40:12), “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?” But when Israel accepted it, the earth was still, as stated (in Ps. 76:9), “the earth was afraid and was still.” So it is from there (i.e., from Sinai) that the gentiles received their judgement,³²Gk.: apophasis. as stated (Hab. 3:6, cont.), “He looked and made nations tremble (rt.: ntr).” R. Tanhum ben Hanila'i said, “He permitted (hittir) what was forbidden, abhorrent creatures and creeping things.” The matter is comparable to a physician who went to visit two patients.³³Lev. R. 13:2. He saw that one of them was in danger. He said to the children of his house, “Tell him to eat whatever he wants.” He saw the other, who was recovering. He said to the children of his house, “Such and such food he may eat; such and such food he may not eat.” They said to the physician, “What is [the difference] that you said to the one, ‘Let him eat whatever he wants,’ but said to the other one, ‘Such and such food he may eat; such and such food he may not eat?’” The physician said to them, “When I saw that the one was dying, I said, ‘Give him [any food] because he is going to die’; but let the other one watch himself, because there is life in him.” So also the Holy One, blessed be He, has permitted (hittir) abhorrent creatures and creeping things to the gentiles. But in the case of Israel, because they are [destined] for life, He has said to them (in Lev. 11:44), “and be holy, for I am holy”; (in Lev. 11:43) “You shall not make yourselves loathsome.” This you may eat and this you may not eat. Why? Because they are alive, as stated (in Deut. 4:4), “But you who clung to the Lord your God are all alive today.” Ergo (in Hab. 3:6), “He arose and measured the earth; He looked and permitted (rt.: ntr) gentiles,” [that which is forbidden]….³⁴So R. Tanhum ben Hanila’i has reinterpreted the more traditional, AND MADE NATIONS TREMBLE. Three things Moshe found difficult [to comprehend], and the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him, etc.

Hezekiah said: "What is meant by the passage (Ps. 76, 9.) From heaven hast Thou caused (Thy) sentence to be heard; the earth feared and became silent. [How is it possible for both these things to happen simultaneously?] If it feared, it then trembled and was not silent? Or if it was silent, then it did not fear and tremble? We must conclude that it feared at the beginning but at the end it became silent." What caused the fear? As Resh Lakish said: What is meant by the passage (Gen. 1, 31) And it was evening and it was morning the sixth day. The Hay (the article) of the word Hashishi (the sixth) is unnecessary." We infer from this that the Holy One, praised be He! made a condition with Creation and said unto it, 'If Israel will accept the Torah, you shall endure, but if they do not I shall return you all into emptiness and void.' "

Another interpretation (of Hab. 3:6): HE AROSE AND MEASURED THE EARTH, because he wanted to return the world to the measurements of his waters, when the nations did not want to accept the Torah. If it had not been for Israel accepting it, the world would have returned to the measurements of his waters. < It is > just as you say (in Is. 40:12): WHO HAS MEASURED THE WATERS IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HAND? But when Israel accepted it, the earth was still, as stated (in Ps. 76:9 [8]): THE EARTH WAS AFRAID AND WAS STILL. So it is from there (i.e., from Sinai) that the gentiles received their judgement.³⁹Gk.: apophasis. (Hab. 3:6, cont.:) HE LOOKED AND MADE NATIONS TREMBLE (rt.: NTR). How did he make < them > tremble (hittir, rt.: NTR)? R. Abba bar Kahana said in the name of R. Johanan: He proscribed (dam hittir)⁴⁰Literally: he permitted their blood < to be shed >. them {seven peoples}, as stated (in Is. 60:12): AND THE NATIONS SHALL BE DESTROYED. R. Simeon ben Johay says: {He proscribed (hittir dam) them {seven peoples} and their possessions.} [Otherwise, compare what is said (in Numb. 13:16): TO SPY OUT (latur) THE LAND.] R. Aha said: He had them jump into Gehinnom, for it is stated (in Lev. 11:21): < KNEE JOINTS ABOVE THEIR FEET > TO LEAP (rt.: NTR) WITH UPON THE GROUND.⁴¹Below, Deut. 11:3. R. Huna of Sepphoris said: He untied (hittir) their girdles.⁴²Gk.: zonai. Compare what is said (in Job 12:18): HE UNDOES THE BOND OF KINGS, [AND BINDS A GIRDLE ON THEIR LOINS]. R. Tanhum ben Hanila'i said: He permitted (hittir) what was forbidden, abhorrent creatures and creeping things. Why? The matter is comparable to a physician who went to visit two patients.⁴³Lev. R. 13:2. He saw that one of them was in danger. He said to the children of his house: Tell him to eat whatever he wants. He saw the other, who was recovering. He said to the children of his house: Such and such food he may eat; such and such food he may not eat. They said to the physician: What < difference > did you see between the two of them [that you said to the one who was in danger: Let him eat whatever he wants, but said to the one who was recovering: Such and such food he may eat; such and such food he may not eat]. The physician said to them: When I saw that the one was dying, I said: Give him < any food > because he is going to die; [but let the other one watch himself, because there is life in him]. So also the Holy One has permitted (hittir) abhorrent creatures, creeping things, and all the transgressions for gentiles, who serve stars, because they are < destined > for Gehinnom. But in the case of Israel, because they are < destined > for life in paradise, he has said to them {(in Lev. 11:44): AND BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.} (in Lev. 11:43): YOU SHALL NOT MAKE YOURSELVES LOATHSOME. [(Lev. 11:44): AND BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.] This you may eat and this you may not eat. Why? Because they are alive, as stated (in Deut. 4:4): BUT YOU WHO CLUNG TO THE LORD YOUR GOD ARE ALL ALIVE TODAY. Ergo (in Hab. 3:6): HE AROSE AND MEASURED THE EARTH; [HE LOOKED AND PERMITTED (rt.: NTR) GENTILES < WHAT IS FORBIDDEN >]…..⁴⁴So R. Tanhum ben Hanila’i has reinterpreted the more traditional, AND MADE NATIONS TREMBLE.