Midrash sobre Daniel 9:28

(Deut. 11:26:) “See, I [am setting before you today a blessing and a curse]. This text is related (to Jer. 21:8), “And (to) [unto] this people you shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord, “See, I am setting before you the road of life and the road of death.”’” It is also written (in Ps. 78:1), “A maskil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my Torah […].” And it is written (in Deut. 4:9-10), “Only take heed to yourself and watch [yourself closely, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children and to your children's children]: The day that you stood [before the Lord your God at Horeb]….” [This is] to tell you that [when] anyone despises the words of Torah, it is as though he were denying the Holy One, blessed be He,, because He only bestowed Torah so that Israel would be occupied with it day and night, as stated (in Josh. 1:8), “and you shall meditate on it (i.e., on the Torah) day and night.” And it is written (in Ps. 1:2), “But their delight is in the law (Torah) of the Lord, [and on his law (Torah) they meditate day and night].” And when anyone occupies himself with the Torah and fulfills it, [it is] as though he had received it from Sinai. It is therefore written (in Deut. 4:9), “make them known to your children […],” and adjacent to it (in Deut. 4:10), “The day that you stood before the Lord your God….” When Asaph came, he began to say (in Ps. 78:1) “Give ear, O my people, to my Torah.” So also did Solomon say (in Prov. 4:2), “For I gave you good instruction; [do not abandon my Torah].” Israel said to Asaph, “Is there another Torah, such that you say (in Ps. 78:1), ‘Give ear, O my people, to my Torah?’ We have already received it from Mount Sinai.” He said to them, “The sinners of Israel say that the Prophets and the Writings are not Torah, and they do not believe in them, as stated (in Dan. 9:10), “And we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in His Torah, which He set before us at the hand of His servants the prophets.” Ergo, the Prophets and the Writings are Torah. As so is it stated (in Ps. 78:1), “Give ear, O my people, to my Torah (in this case to a writing of Asaph).” Another interpretation (of Ps. 78:1), “Give ear, O my people, to my Torah.” This text is related (to Prov. 16:23), “The heart of a wise person, instructs his mouth […].” When Israel sins, they are withheld from anything good; and so you find that, when they committed the act (of the golden calf), everything good was withheld from them, as stated (in Exod. 32:19), “And it came to pass that as soon as he drew near unto the camp and saw the calf [and the dancing, Moses burned with anger; so he threw down the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain].” Then when Moses sought mercy for them, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Moses, I created the world only for Torah, as stated (in Is. 51:16), “Moreover, I have put My words (i.e., the Torah) in your mouth …, [so that I may plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth].” But they have exchanged My glory for the image of a bull,¹Cf. Ps. 106:20. and you have broken the tablets; so how will the world continue without Torah? He said to Him, “What shall I do?” He said to him (in Deut. 10:1), “Carve out two tablets of stone like the first ones.” It is therefore said (in Prov. 16:23), “The heart of a wise person, instructs his mouth….” For that reason, when Asaph [was alive], he mentioned above (in Ps. 77:21), “You led Your people like a flock [by the hand of Moses and Aaron].”²It is Ps. 77:1 that designates this Psalm as a work of Asaph. Then after that it is written (in Ps. 78:1), “A maskil (a psalm of wisdom) of Asaph.”

(Deut. 11:26:) SEE, I <AM SETTING BEFORE YOU TODAY A BLESSING AND A CURSE>. This text is related (to Jer. 21:8): AND {TO} [UNTO] THIS PEOPLE YOU SHALL SAY: THUS SAYS THE LORD: SEE, I AM SETTING BEFORE YOU THE ROAD TO LIFE AND THE ROAD TO DEATH. It is also written (in Ps. 78:1): A MASKIL {OF ETHAN THE EZRAHITE}¹For this reading, see Ps. 89:1. [OF ASAPH]. GIVE EAR, O MY PEOPLE, TO MY TORAH.²Tanh., Deut. 4:1. And it is written (in Deut. 4:9–10): ONLY TAKE HEED TO YOURSELF <AND WATCH YOURSELF CLOSELY, LEST YOU FORGET THE THINGS THAT YOUR EYES HAVE SEEN AND LEST THEY DEPART FROM YOUR HEART ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE; MAKE THEM KNOWN TO YOUR CHILDREN AND TO YOUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN >: THE DAY THAT YOU STOOD BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD AT HOREB…. <This is> to tell you that <when> anyone despises the words of Torah, it is as though he were denying the Holy One, because he only bestowed Torah so that Israel would be occupied with it day and night, as stated (in Josh. 1:8): AND YOU SHALL MEDITATE ON IT (i.e., on Torah) DAY AND NIGHT. And it is written (in Ps. 1:2): BUT THEIR DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW (Torah) OF THE LORD, <AND ON HIS LAW (Torah) THEY MEDITATE DAY AND NIGHT>. So when anyone occupies himself with the Torah and fulfills it, <it is> as though he had received it from Sinai. It is therefore written (in Deut. 4:9–10): MAKE THEM KNOWN TO YOUR CHILDREN …: THE DAY THAT YOU STOOD BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD…. When Asaph came, he began to say (in Ps. 78:1) GIVE EAR, O MY PEOPLE, TO MY TORAH…. So also did Solomon say (in Prov. 4:2): FOR I GAVE YOU GOOD INSTRUCTION; DO NOT ABANDON MY TORAH. Israel said to Asaph: Is there another torah of which you say (in Ps. 78:1): GIVE EAR, O MY PEOPLE, TO MY TORAH? We have already received it from Sinai. He said to them: The schismatics of Israel say that the Prophets and the Writings are not Torah, and we do not believe in them, as stated (in Dan. 9:10): AND WE HAVE NOT OBEYED THE VOICE OF THE LORD OUR GOD BY WALKING IN HIS TORAH, WHICH HE SET BEFORE US AT THE HAND OF HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS. Ergo, The Prophets and the Writings are Torah, as stated (in Ps. 78:1): GIVE EAR, O MY PEOPLE, TO MY TORAH (in this case to a writing of Asaph).

Befitting is (the ascription of) "greatness" to the Lord. And thus did David say (I Chronicles 29:11) "To you, O Lord, is [befitting the ascription of] greatness, might, splendor, triumph, and majesty." A king of flesh and blood enters a province, and all praise him as "strong" — when he is weak; as "rich" — when he is poor; as "wise" — when he is foolish; as "merciful" — when he is cruel; as "trusty" — when he is not. He is lacking in all of these (fine) attributes — All men are flattering him. But it is not so with Him who spoke and brought the world into being. He is more than He is praised for being. I shall sing to the Lord, who is might, as it is written — (Devarim 10:17) "the God who is great and mighty and awesome," (Psalms 24:8) "the Lord, mighty and strong, the Lord, strong in war," (Isaiah 42;13) "The Lord as a mighty one shall go forth. As a man of war, He will stir up wrath. He will shout; He will scream. He will overpower His foes," (Jeremiah 10:14) "There is none like You, O Lord. Great are You and great is Your name in strength." I shall sing to the Lord, who is rich, as it is written — (Devarim 10:19) "To the Lord your God belong the heavens, etc.", (Psalms 24:1) "To the Lord belongs the earth and its fullness, etc.", (Ibid. 95:5) "His is the sea and He has made it," (Chaggai 2:8) "Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold," (Ezekiel 18:4) "All of the souls are Mine. The soul of the father and the soul of the son alike are Mine." I shall sing to the Lord, who is wise, as it is written — (Mishlei 2:6) "For the Lord shall give wisdom. From His mouth are knowledge and understanding", (Daniel 2:21) "He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to the knowers of understanding". (Jeremiah 10:7) "Who will not fear You, King of the nations? For among all the sages of the nations and in all of their kingdoms, there is none like You." I shall sing to the Lord, for He is merciful, as it is written — (Exodus 34:6) "Hashem, Hashem, the G d who is merciful and gracious", (Devarim 4:31) "For a merciful G d is the L rd your G d", (Psalms 25:6) "Remember Your mercies, Hashem, etc.", (Ibid. 145:8) "Good is the Lord to all, and His mercies are on all his works", (Daniel 9:9) "To the Lord our God is mercy and forgiveness." I shall sing to the Lord, who is a Judge, as it is written — (Devarim 1:17) "… for the judgment is God's", (Psalms 82:1) "G d stands in the assembly of the almighty. In the midst of the judges shall He judge," (Devarim 32:4) "The Rock, perfect is His work, for all of His ways are just." I shall sing to the Lord, who is trusty, as it is written — (Ibid. 7:9) "the trusty G d, etc." (Ibid. 32:4) "… a G d of trust, without wrong, etc." I shall sing to the Lord, who is comely, who is glorious, who is exalted, whose like does not exist — (Psalms 89:7) "For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord, can be likened to the Lord among the sons of the mighty"? (Ibid. 8) "God greatly dreaded in the great council of the holy, held in awe by all around Him"

R. Elazar b. Abina said further: "Much more is said [regarding the actions] of Michael than is said of Gabriel; for in describing Michael, it is written (Is. 6, 6.) Then flew unto me one of the Seraphim. Whereas in describing Gabriel it is written (Dan. 9, 21.) The man Gabriel whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, came flying swiftly." And whence do we know that the word Echad (one) [mentioned by Isaiah] refers to Michael? R. Jochanan said: "We derive it from the word Echad which occurs in both passages; it is written here (Is. 6, 6.) One of the Seraphim and it is written there (Dan. 10, 13.) But Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. [Just as in the latter case] the word Echad (one) is applied to Michael, so also in the former case does Echad (one) apply to Michael]." In a Baraitha it was taught: "Michael [reaches his destination] with one [flight]; Gabriel with two; Elijah with four and the angel of death with eight; but during an epidemic the angel of death reaches [his destination] with one [flight]."

R. Elazar b. Abina said further: "Much more is said [regarding the actions] of Michael than is said of Gabriel; for in describing Michael, it is written (Is. 6, 6.) Then flew unto me one of the Seraphim. Whereas in describing Gabriel it is written (Dan. 9:21) The man Gabriel whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, came flying swiftly." And whence do we know that the word Echad (one) [mentioned by Isaiah] refers to Michael ? R. Jochanan said : "We derive it from the word Echad which occurs in both passages; it is written here (Is. 6, 6.) One of the Seraphim and it is written there (Dan. 10:13) But Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. [Just as in the latter case] the word Echad (one) is applied to Michael, so also in the former case does Echad (one) apply to Michael]." In a Baraitha it was taught : "Michael [reaches his destination] with one [flight] ; Gabriel with two; Elijah with four and the angel of death with eight ; but during an epidemic the angel of death reaches [his destination] with one [flight]."

“A princess among the nations,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because Israel violated the terms that they accepted at Sinai, therefore, “she has become a vassal [lamas].” Sinai is lamas, the numerical value of this equals the numerical value of that.⁵³Sinai: samekh – 60, yod – 10, nun – 50, yod – 10 = 130. Lamas: Lamed – 30, mem – 30, samekh – 60 = 130. Rabbi Yishmael bar Naḥman said: Because Israel engaged in idol worship, therefore, “she has become a vassal [lamas].” Lamas is figure [semel]. The letters of this are the letters of that.⁵⁴Lamed, mem, samekh, and samekh, mem, lamed. The Rabbis say: Lamas, the melting [lemassa] of the heart.
Rav Ukeva said: On the eve of the ninth of Av, Abraham entered the chamber of the Holy of Holies. The Holy One blessed be He grasped his hand and was strolling with him long and short.⁵⁵He discussed with Abraham every facet of Israel’s merits and demerits in light of the impending destruction (Etz Yosef). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “What has My beloved to do in My Temple?” (Jeremiah 11:15). He said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, my children, where are they?’ He said to him: ‘They sinned and I exiled them among the nations.’ He said to Him: ‘Were there no righteous among them?’ He said to him: “She has performed her evil schemes” (Jeremiah 11:15). He said to Him: ‘You should have looked at the good ones among them.’ He said to him: ‘Most of them were wicked, as it is written: “She has performed her evil schemes with multitudes” (Jeremiah 11:15).’ He said to Him: ‘You should have looked to the circumcision in their flesh.’ He said to him: ‘As you live, they repudiated it, as it is stated: “The sacred flesh is passed from you” (Jeremiah 11:15). Moreover, these rejoiced at the downfall of those, as it is written: “When you beheld evil, then you rejoice” (Jeremiah 11:15), and it is written: “One who rejoices at calamity will not be absolved” (Proverbs 17:5).’

Why was the scroll of Lamentations stated as an alphabetical acrostic? Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda says: Because it is written: “All Israel have violated Your Torah” (Daniel 9:11), which is written [with letters] from alef through tav; therefore, the scroll was written alphabetically, one corresponding to the other. Rabbi Neḥemya says: Although Jeremiah cursed them alphabetically in Lamentations, Isaiah preceded him and brought a remedy for each and every verse of them until: “Let all their wickedness come before You” (Lamentations 1:22).⁵⁶The midrash below (chapter 23) explains this further and cites the view of the Rabbis.

(Ib. b) R. Jochauan in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai said: "Since the day the Holy One, praised be He! created the world there was no man who called the Holy One, praised be He! 'Lord' (Adon) until Abraham came and called him 'Lord,' for it is said (Gen. 15, 8.) And he said Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?" Rab said "Daniel also would not have been answered were it not for the sake of Abraham, for it is said (Dan. 9, 17.) And now listen, O our God! to the prayer of thy servant, for the sake of the Lord; — 'for Thy sake' he [Daniel] ought to have said? But [he prayed] for the sake of Abraham, who called you Lord." Again said R. Jochanan in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai: "Since the day when the Holy One, praised be He! created the world, there was no man who thanked the Holy One, praised be He! until Leah came and thanked Him, as it is said (Gen. 29, 35.) This lime will I thank the Lord." What is the meaning of being called Reuben? R. Elazar said: "Leah said, 'See the difference between my son and the son of my father-in-law (Esau); whereas my father-in-law's son sold his birthright to Jacob of his own accord, as it is written (Gen. 25, 33.) And he sold his right of first-horn unto Jacob, yet what happened? As it is written (Ib. 27, 41.) And Esau hated Jacob, and it is also written (Ib. ib. 36.) And he said, hath he been therefore named Jacob, because he hath supplanted me these two times; but my son, although it was against his will that Joseph took from him the birthright, as it is written (I Chr. 5, 1.) But when he defiled his father's bed was his birth-right given unto the sons of Joseph; yet he never envied him, for it is written (Gen. 37, 21.) And when Reuben heard it he delivered him out of their hands.'" Why was she named Ruth? R. Jochanan said "Be cause she merited that from her shall come forth David, who satisfied the Holy One, praised be He! with songs and praises." And whence do we derive that the name is the cause? R. Elazar said: "It is said (Ps. 46, 9.) Come, look at the deeds of the Lord, who hath made desolation on the earth. Do not read it Shamoth (desolation), but read Shemoth (names)."

And Jacob said to him: “Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren … and he came to Shechem (ibid. 37:14).¹B. Sanhedrin 10:29. This place had previously been designated for punishment. Dinah was dishonored in Shechem, Joseph was sold in Shechem,²Dothan, the place where Joseph was sold, was in the vicinity of Shechem; in addition, tradition maintains that he was buried in Shechem. and David’s kingdom was divided at Shechem: Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (I Kings 12:25). And a certain man found him (Gen. 37:15). The man referred to is none other than (the angel) Gabriel, as it is said: The man Gabriel (Dan. 9:21). And they saw him from afar … and they took him, and cast him into the pit (Gen. 37:18, 24). The pit was empty of water, but it contained snakes and scorpions. What did Reuben do? He remained upon one of the hills nearby in order to rescue Joseph during the night. However, the nine other brothers stayed together in another place, all in agreement that he should die.

17...

(Deut. 29:11:) “To enter into the covenant with the Lord your God....” Three covenants did the Holy One, blessed be He, make with Israel when they came out of Egypt, one when they stood before Mount Sinai, (one at Horeb,) and one here. But why did he make [a covenant] with them here? Because they had revoked the one which He had made with them at Sinai, when they said (of the golden calf in Exod. 32:4), “This is your god, O Israel.” For that reason He made [another covenant] with them at Horeb⁵The text should probably read: “With them here,” in accord with Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34. and established a curse over it for whoever would go back on his words. Now the word, enter (rt.: 'br), [can] only be in the sense of one who says to his companion, “May this curse come (rt.: 'br) upon you, if you go back on me in this thing.” And so you find that, when Israel provoked [the Holy One, blessed be He], and they went into captivity, what did Daniel say (in Dan. 9:11)? “And all Israel has transgressed (rt.: 'br) Your Torah [...] so the curse (alah) and the oath are poured down upon us.” Now alah can only be a curse,⁶Alah can also mean “oath” and “covenant.” as where it is stated (in Numb. 5:27), “and the woman shall become a curse (alah).” [This is] to teach you that just as one imposes an oath on the suspect adulteress, so the Holy One, blessed be He, imposed an oath upon Israel. But perhaps you will say, “Why all this bother?” It is not because I need you? Rather what shall I do to you, when I have already sworn to your ancestors, that I will never replace you and your children? It is therefore stated (in Deut. 29:12), “In order to establish you today as his people […] as he swore to your ancestors.” It [also] says (in Cant. 7:6), “a king is bound by his tresses.” Now bound [indicates] nothing except an oath. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 30:4), “[When a woman vows a vow to the Lord] and binds herself with a bond.” Therefore, He cannot break his oath. And so you find, when they sought to get rid of the yoke of His oath in the days of Ezekiel, it is written (in Ezek: 20:1), “some elders of Israel came to consult the Lord.” They said to him, “When the son of a priest buys a slave, is it legal for him to eat the terumah?”⁷The priestly tithe on produce. He said to them, “He may eat it.” They said to him, “If a priest returned and sold him to an [ordinary] Israelite, has he not left his jurisdiction?” He told them, “Yes.” They said to him, “We too have left the jurisdiction of [the Holy One, blessed be He]; are we not [now] like the all the [rest of the] world?” Ezekiel said to them (in Ezek. 20:32-33), “But that which you have in mind shall never come to pass, that should you say: let us become like the gentiles…. ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘surely I will [reign] over you with a powerful hand....’” He said to them, “As long as one has not sold [a slave], he is in his jurisdiction; and you have not been sold for a price.” It is so stated (in Is. 52:3), “For thus says the Lord, ‘You were sold for free, [and you shall be redeemed for no money].’” (Deut. 29:12:) “In order to establish you today as his people…,” so that I would not go back on the word that I swore to your ancestors. Deut. 29:13), “And not only with you [have I made this covenant and this oath].” But rather the generations that have yet to come were also there at that time, as stated (in vs. 14), “But with those who are [standing ('md)] here with us [today… and with those who are not here with us today].” R. Abahu said in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahmani, “Why does it say, ‘those who are [standing ('md)] here [...]; and those who are not here’ (without using the word, standing)? Because all the souls were there, [even] when [their] bodies had still not been created. It is for that reason [their] existence (literally, standing, rt.: 'md) is not stated here.” R. Eliezer said, “A curse will come upon Laban, because he said to Jacob (in Gen. 31:30), ‘Why did you steal my gods?’ It (i.e., such an idol) could not save itself from theft. [So] how could it save others? But Israel is not like that, as they serve the Holy One, blessed be He, about whom it is stated (in Deut. 10:21), “He is your praise, and He is your God, [who has done these great and awful things for you that your own eyes have seen].” He [also] watches over Israel like a father who watches over his son, as stated (in Ps. 121:4), “Behold the One keeping Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

(Fol. 36b) Our Rabbis were taught: How did the High-priest confess? "I have committed iniquities, transgressed, and sinned;" and so says Scripture regarding the scapegoat (Lev. 16, 21) And confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, and all their sins. And this arrangement is also used by Moses (Ex. 34, 7) Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; so says R. Meir. The sages, however, say. Iniquities (Avonoth) refers to intentional transgressions; and so says Scripture (Num. 15, 31) That person shall be cut off, his iniquity (Avono) is upon him; transgressions (P'sha'im) refers to rebellion, and so says Scripture (II Kings 3, 7) The King of Moab hath rebelled (Pasha) against me. There is also another passage (Ib. 8, 22) Then did Libnah revolt in that time; sin (Chata'oth) refers to unintentional wrong (done in ignorance), and so says Scripture (Lev. 4, 2) If any person sin through ignorance (Yekheta). But, according to the sages, how is it possible that after he has confessed the intentional and rebellious sins, he will confess the unintentional? Therefore we must say that he said them in this order: I have sinned, committed iniquities, and transgressed. And so says David (Ps. 106, 6) We have sinned together with our fathers, ive have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. And so also says Solomon (I Kings 8, 47; II Chr. 6) We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we have acted wickedly. So also says Daniel (Dan. 9, 5) We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly, and we have rebelled. If so, then, why did Moses say (Ex. 34, 6) Forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin. Moses said thus to the Holy One, praised be He! "Sovereign of the Universe, when the children of Israel will sin before thee, and then repent, consider their conscious sins as mere inadvertant acts."

And the mighty of the land He took away (Ezek. 17:13). The mighty here alludes to the nobles of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, concerning whom it is said: Thus saith the Lord, God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I regard the captives of Judah whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for good (Jer. 24:5). And elsewhere it is written: And so the Lord hath hastened the evil and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all His works (Dan. 9:14). How can these verses be explained? After all, if the Holy One, blessed be He, is righteous, is it likely that He would hasten the evil and bring it upon us? This verse implies that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed a kindness for Israel by causing the exile of Jehoiachin to precede that of Zedekiah so that the Oral Law might not be forgotten by the Israelites. They resided in Babylon, with their Torah, from that day unto this, and neither Rome nor Greece has ruled them or forced them to convert. What is more, they will not be compelled to experience the trials that will befall mankind preceding the advent of the Messiah, as is said: O Zion, escape, thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon (Zech. 2:11). That is, they escaped the decrees imposed by Rome and Greece.

The Holy One of Blessing is High and Exalted, His throne is [also] High and Exalted. And from where do we know that the Holy One of Blessing is called "High and Exalted"? From (Isa. 57:15) "This is what [Ad-nai] High and exalted said". And from whre do we know that even His throne is High and Exalted? From (Isa. 6:1) "And I saw my Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne" etc. The Holy One of Blessing is called Justice as it says "I, Ad-nai, am the Speaker of Justice" (Isa. 45:19) - and from where do we know that even His throne is called Justice? From "Justice and Judgment are the foundation of Your throne" (Ps. 89:15)The Holy One of Blessing is called Judgment as it says "because a God of Judgment is Ad-nai" (Isa. 30:18) and even His throne is called Judgment, as it says "from there were sat thrones of Judgement (Ps. 122:5).The Holy One of Blessing is called Truth as it says "Ad-nai is a God of Truth" (Jer. 10:10) and even His throne is called Truth, as it says "And he readied in Lovingkindness a throne, and sits there in Truth (Isa. 16:5). The Holy One of Blessing is called Glory as it says "May the King of Glory enter" (Ps. 24:7) and even His throne is called Glory, as it says "A throne of Glory, high from the beginning" (Jer. 17:12). May the King of Glory come and sit on the Throne of Glory, in the Temple of Glory as it is said "and in His Temple everything says 'Glory!'" (Ps.29:9) The Holy One of Blessing is called Holy as it says "Holy, holy Holy is Ad-nai Tzevaot, the whole earth is filled with His Glory" (Isa. 6:3) and even His throne is called Holy, as it says "God sat on His throne of Holiness (Ps. 47:9). May the King of Holiness come and sit on the Throne of Holiness, in the great secret of holy ones, as it is said: “A God dreaded in the great secret of the holy ones” (Ps. 89:8). - How many thrones the Holy One of Blessing has!He has an Established throne, as it says "Your throne has been established ever since time" (Ps. 93:2). He has a throne of Justice and Judgment, as it says "Justice and Judgement are the foundation of Your throne" (Ps. 89:15). He has a throne of Lovingkindness, as it says "He readied in Lovingkindness a throne" (Isa. 16:5). He has a Throne of Yah, as it says "because there is a hand against the throne of Yah" (Ex. 17:16). He has a throne of Glory, as it says "a throne of Glory high from the beginning " (Jer. 17:12). He has a throne of Truth, as it says "He readied in Lovingkindness a throne and sits there in Truth" (Isa. 16:5). He has a Holy throne, as it says "God sat on his throne of Holiness"(Ps. 47:9). He has an eternal throne, as it says "Your throne, oh God is forever and ever"(Ps. 45:7). He has a throne of Mercy, as it says "To our Lord belongs Mercy and Forgivenesses" (Daniel 9:9). He has a throne of Sovereignty, as it says "and Sovereignty shall be Ad-nai's"(Obadiah 1:21). He has a High and Exalted throne, as it says "And I saw my Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne" (Isa. 6:1). May the High and Exalted King sit on the High and Exalted throne, blessed, and exalted, and higher than any blessing and praise.

Another matter, “on my bed at nights,” this is the night of Babylon. “I sought the one whom my soul loves,” this is Daniel; “I sought him, but did not find him.” “I will rise now, and circulate in the city, in the streets and in the squares. I will seek the one whom my soul loves,” this is Daniel. “I sought him, but I did not find him.” “The watchmen…found me,” these are the Chaldeans; “the one whom my soul loves,” this is Daniel. Where did he go? One says to a fast; and one says to a feast. The one who says to a fast, as he was pleading for mercy regarding the destruction of the Temple: “Now, our God, heed the prayer of Your servant” (Daniel 9:17). The one who says to a feast; to read the writing of Belshatzar; that is what is written: “Mene mene tekel ufarsin” (Daniel 5:25). Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta, Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Mene: mem, mem, tav, vav, samekh; nun, nun, kof, peh, yod; alef, alef, lamed, resh, nun.⁵The letters were ordered in columns of three and the final word divided into two columns, the result being:
ננקפי
Thus, in order to understand the writing, Daniel had to read each column from top to bottom. This is an allusion to the fact that the message came down from above. Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: Yod, tet, tav; yod, tet, tav; alef, dalet, kaf; peh, vav, gimmel, ḥet, mem, tet.⁶This inverts all the letters on the basis of the at bash cipher, in which alef, the first letter of the alphabet, is replaced with tav [at], the last letter; beit is replaced with shin, etc. This is also an allusion to the divine source of the message. The Rabbis say: Alef, nun, mem; alef, nun, mem; lamed, kof, tav; nun, yod, samekh, resh, peh, vav.⁷According to this opinion, the order of the letters in each word was reversed. Rabbi Meir says: In accordance with its plain meaning. Mene mene tekel ufarsin.⁸The words were written as they appear, and not in code. The reason the scholars other than Daniel could not decipher it is because the Hebrew letters were written in the Assyrian script, which was then adopted as the regular Hebrew script, and not in the more familiar ancient Hebrew script. God has counted [mana] the years of your kingdom and it has been completed.⁹Mene is written twice to indicate that God counted at the outset and counted again at present, and the time for the Babylonian kingdom had elapsed. God weighed [tekel]¹⁰Tav in Aramaic replaces the Hebrew shin; therefore tekel is the equivalent of shakal – weighed. on the scale...¹¹He weighed your good deeds and evil deeds and the result is that you do not have the requisite virtue to remain in power. He has divided [paras] your kingdom and given it…¹²He has given it to the Medes and the Persians.
At that moment all Israel assembled near Daniel and said to him: ‘Our master Daniel, all the dire and harsh prophecies that Jeremiah prophesied befell us, and the one positive prophecy that he prophesied in our regard: “For at the completion of seventy years for Babylonia, [I will remember you]” (Jeremiah 29:10), has not yet transpired.’ He said to them: ‘Bring me the book of Isaiah.’ He began reading until he reached this verse: “A prophecy of the wilderness of the sea, like gale force winds in the south” (Isaiah 21:1). If sea, why wilderness, if wilderness, why sea? Rather, these are the four kingdoms that are likened to beasts, as it is written: “And four great beasts” (Daniel 7:3).¹³The reference is to the four kingdoms who would subjugate Israel, of which Babylonia was the first. Rabbi Ḥanina said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Each different from the other” (Daniel 7:3); the damage that each causes is different from the other. If you merit, from the sea; if not, from the forest; just as these beasts, that ascend from the sea, do not cause damage and those that emerge from the forest do cause damage, so too, if you merit, the nations will not rule over you. On a similar note, “the boar from the forest [miyaar] will gnaw at it” (Psalms 80:14). There is a suspended ayin.¹⁴The ayin in the word miyaar is written such that it is small and suspended over the other letters. This is so that the word can be read without the ayin, as river [yeor], or with the ayin, as forest [yaar]. If you merit, it will be from the river [yeor] and if not, from the forest [yaar]. Just as the beast that ascends from the sea does not cause damage, [and that which] emerges from the forest causes damage, so it is.¹⁵With the nations of the world.
“Like sweeping gale force winds in the south” (Isaiah 21:1), Rabbi Levi said: You do not have any windstorm that is as severe as the windstorm that comes from the north and causes the people located in the south to turn white from terror. What is this?¹⁶What is the prophet referring to with this imagery? This is Nebuchadnezzar, who arose from the north and destroyed the Temple that was located in the south. “Coming from the wilderness [from a fearful land]” (Isaiah 21:1). From where did he come? Rabbi Ḥanina said: He came from a desolate path in the wilderness, [as it is stated]: “Coming from the wilderness from a fearful land.”
“A harsh vision was told to me” (Isaiah 21:2). There are ten expressions for prophecy: Vision [ḥazon], prophecy [nevua], preaching [hatafa], speech [dibur], saying [amira], command [tzivui], burden [masa], parable [mashal], poetry [melitza], riddle [ḥida]. Which is the harshest of all? Rabbi Eliezer says: Vision [ḥazon] is the harshest, as it is stated: “A harsh vision [ḥazut] was told to me” (Isaiah 21:2). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Speech [dibur] is the harshest, as it is stated: “The man, lord of the land, spoke [diber] harshly with us” (Genesis 42:30). The Rabbis say: Burden [masa] is the harshest, in its plain sense: “Like a heavy burden [masa]” (Psalms 38:5).
“The traitor betrays and the plunderer plunders. Ascend [ali], Eilam! Besiege, Media!” (Isaiah 21:2). The trouble of Eilam has already disappeared [nitalem]. “Besiege [tzuri], Media,” the trouble [tzara] of Media has already been created [notzera]. “All its sighing I ended” (Isaiah 21:2); all the sighing caused by Babylon. “Therefore my loins are filled with trembling” (Isaiah 21:3), Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said: Because they sensed some of the trouble that the kingdoms would cause, our ancestors became restive. Initially, “…to circumvent the land of Edom, and the soul of the people grew restive” (Numbers 21:4).¹⁷They grew uneasy as they traveled past Edom because they sensed the troubles that Edom, identified as Rome, would cause the Jewish people. Jeremiah said: “We bring our bread at the peril of our lives” (Lamentations 5:9). Daniel said: “I, Daniel, my spirit was distressed” (Daniel 7:15). Isaiah said: “Therefore my loins are filled with trembling” (Isaiah 21:3). We, who are engulfed within their innards for many days, many years, many eras, and many epochs, all the more so.
“Therefore, my loins are filled with trembling; pains have overcome me, like the pains of a woman in childbirth. I am confounded from hearing; I am frightened from seeing” (Isaiah 21:3). “I am confounded from hearing”—the sounds of blasphemies and curses of the wicked; that is what is written: “You have been haughty toward the Lord of heaven: and the vessels of His House…” (Daniel 5:23).
“I am frightened from seeing,” from seeing the tranquility of that wicked one; that is what is written: “King Belshatzar made a great banquet” (Daniel 5:1). What is “great”? Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: Greater than that of his God. He said to them: ‘Your omer, how was it prepared for sacrifice?’ They said: ‘With thirteen sifters.’ He said to them: ‘But mine is with fourteen sifters.’
“My heart is bewildered” (Isaiah 21:4), this is the court, which erred in the calculation of one day.¹⁸They erred in the calculation of the end of the Babylonian exile, and were therefore bewildered as to why it had not yet ended. Their calculation as to the day of their redemption was incorrect. “Terror [palatzut] has frightened me” (Isaiah 21:4), Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua said: You enjoyed my cup [peyali].¹⁹They ate and drank using the Temple vessels. Alternatively, palatzut, the mouth [peh] that spreads words of cynicism [letzut]; alternatively, “terror [palatzut] has frightened me,” because words of cynicism emerged.
“My night of desire, he has transformed into horror” (Isaiah 21:4), the night regarding which my soul was yearning for, for redemption, has been transformed into horror. “Setting the table” (Isaiah 21:5), you set the table,²⁰The midrash merely translated this Hebrew expression into Aramaic. The prophet is describing Belshatzar’s arrogant and elaborate feast in celebration of the fact that Israel, he assumed, would never be redeemed. “kindling the candelabrum” (Isaiah 21:5), you set up the candelabrum, you kindled the lamps.
“Arise princes” (Isaiah 21:5), these are Cyrus and Darius; “anoint the shield” (Isaiah 21:5), receive the kingdom.²¹Belshatzar arrogantly celebrated, but ultimately he was supplanted by Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian. Cyrus had said to Darius: ‘Reign before me.’ Darius said to Cyrus: ‘That is not what Daniel articulated: “Your kingdom is divided and given to Media and Persia” (Daniel 5:28), to Media first and to Persia thereafter. You should reign before me.’²²This implies that Media would rule before Persia. According to the extant text of the midrash, this is difficult to understand, as Cyrus the Persian would have been correct in offering Darius the first rule. Apparently the correct version is that Darius offered Cyrus first rule, and Cyrus responded that Darius should rule first based on the order implied in the verse in Daniel (Maharzu). When that wicked one²³Belshatzar. heard, he dispatched and said to his armies: ‘Any nation and kingdom that rebelled against me, we will invade them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one, you sent to everyone,²⁴You sent threats to all the nations who rebelled. did you perhaps send to me?²⁵Did you repent your sins in an attempt to revoke the decree that you will be stripped of your kingdom? By your life, the punishment of that man²⁶Belshatzar. will not come from anywhere else, but rather from Me.’ That is what is written: “For it is not from the east or the west…but God is the Judge; He humbles this one and elevates that one” (Psalms 75:7–8), He will humble Belshatzar and elevate Cyrus and Darius.
Cyrus and Darius were Belshatzar’s gatekeepers. When he heard these verses, he said to them: ‘Anyone whom you see here tonight, even if he says to you: I am the king, remove his head.’ It is not the way of kings to situate their lavatories within their halls, but rather outside their halls. His bowels were loose all that night and he went out and they did not notice him. When he entered, they noticed him. They said to him: ‘Who are you?’ He said to them: ‘I am the king.’ They said to him: ‘Is this not what the king commanded, that anyone whom we see here this night, even if he says to you: I am the king, remove his head?’ What did they do? They took a branch from the candelabrum and pierced his brain. That is what is written: “On that night, Belshatzar the Chaldean king was killed (Daniel 5:30).
At what hour was he killed? Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, Rabbi Elazar said: At the time when sleep begins. Rabbi Shmuel said: When one can distinguish between a wolf and a dog. They do not disagree. The one who says: When sleep begins [says that Belshatzar] was convulsing that entire day, as it was attributed to him as part of his reign.²⁷He was struck at the beginning of the night, but since his reign included the calendar day that began that night, he did not actually die until the beginning of the following night (Matnot Kehuna). Some suggest that the text should read that he was convulsing all night and died in the morning (Rabbi David Luria). The one who says: When one can distinguish between a wolf and a dog [says that] he was dying all that night, as it was attributed to him as part of his reign.²⁸He was struck at the beginning of the night and convulsed into the morning, when there is enough light to recognize the difference between a wolf and a dog (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Binyamin ben Levi said: Like the time between one cup and another cup, one kingdom was replaced by another kingdom. That is what is written: “For a cup is in the hand of the Lord with foaming wine…He pours from it. [But the dregs are sucked, drunk by all the wicked of the earth]” (Psalms 75:9).
This is why the prophet mocks and says: “Go down and sit on the dust” (Isaiah 47:1). The punishment fits the crime; just as there: “The elders of the daughter of Zion will sit silently on the ground” (Lamentations 2:10), so here: “Go down and sit on the dust.” Rabbi Ḥunya said: So said Jerusalem to the daughter of Babylon: Old, worn out, repulsive harlot, go down. You consider yourself a virgin; you are old. “Sit on the ground without a chair” (Isaiah 47:1), your meriting that throne is null and void.
What merit did he have?²⁹By what merit did the Babylonian kings rule until that point? “At that time Merodakh Baladan, [son of Baladan, king of Babylon], sent [scrolls and a gift to Hezekiah; he had heard that he had become ill and recovered]” (Isaiah 39:1). They said that Merodakh was a sun worshipper, and he was accustomed to eat at the sixth hour and would sleep until the ninth hour. When the orb of the sun receded in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah,³⁰The sun moved backward ten hours as a sign that Hezekiah would recover from his illness (see II Kings 20:8–11). he slept and arose and found that it was morning. He sought to kill all of his guards. He said to them: ‘You let me sleep all day and all night?’ They said to him: ‘The day receded.’ He said to them: ‘Who was the God who caused it to recede?’ They said: ‘The God of Hezekiah caused it to recede.’ He said to them: ‘Is there a god greater than my god?’ They said to him: ‘The God of Hezekiah is greater than your god.’ He immediately sent scrolls and a gift to Hezekiah. That is what is written: “At that time Merodakh Baladan…sent.”
What did he write in them? Greetings to Hezekiah, greetings to the great God, greetings to Jerusalem. When the letters had been dispatched he reconsidered and said: ‘I acted improperly. I had the greetings to Hezekiah precede those to his God.’ Immediately, he arose from his throne, took three steps, recalled the letters and wrote other letters in their place. He wrote in them: Greetings to the great God of Hezekiah, greetings to Hezekiah, and greetings to Jerusalem. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You arose from your throne and took three steps in My honor; by your life, I will establish three cosmopolitan kings from you who will rule from one end of the world to the other.’ These are they: Nebuchadnezzar, Evil Merodakh, and Belshatzar. When they arose and blasphemed, the Holy One blessed be He eliminated any vestige of them from the world, and established others in their stead.
It is written: “Hezekiah rejoiced over them and he showed them his treasure house [beit nekhoto]” (Isaiah 39:2). What is beit nekhoto? Rabbi Imi said: It is the bite [nekhita] that he took from Sennacherib, and the plunder that he plundered from Sennacherib. He showed them a sword swallowing a sword.³¹He showed them weapons, each of which was superior to the one before (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: He showed them houses adorned with ivory like wax.³²Magnificently carved, as though it had been wax melted and poured into a mold. Alternatively, the ivory was actually softened, like wax, so as to allow for its beautification (Rabbi David Luria). Rabbi Yehuda says: He showed them honey as hard as a rock.³³This was apparently honey of exceptional quality, which was very sweet or which could last for a long time or be transported easily. Rabbi Levi said: With this we go out to war and emerge victorious.³⁴He showed him the Ark in the Holy of Holies, and opened it and showed him the Tablets, and said that in the merit of the Torah, Israel is victorious in battle (Etz Yosef).
It is written: “Take millstones and grind flour” (Isaiah 47:2). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: All the people grind wheat and you say: “Take millstones and grind flour”? Rather, so said Jerusalem to the daughter of Babylon: ‘Had it not been that they waged war against me from On High, could you have overcome me? Had He not “sent fire into my bones” (Lamentations 1:13), could you have overcome me? It is ground flour that you ground; it is a dead lion that you killed; it is a burnt abode that you burned.’ Another matter, “take millstones and grind flour,” in the past, others would grind for you, now, “take millstones and grind flour.”³⁵This hard labor is representative of the fact that Babylon will fall.
“Expose your braid” (Isaiah 47:2), be stripped of your dignity; this is the king, who is situated behind seven partitions. “Bare a leg [shovel], [expose a thigh to cross rivers]” (Isaiah 47:2), stand exposed to the current [shibolet] of the river.³⁶Instead of crossing on a ferry, you will wade through the river on foot like a poor person (Etz Yosef). “Cross rivers,” in the past you would cross in wagons of silver and gold, and now, “expose a thigh to cross rivers.” “Your nakedness will be exposed” (Isaiah 47:3), the punishment fits the crime. Just as there,³⁷When Babylon exiled Israel. “all who honored her demeaned her because they saw her nakedness” (Lamentations 1:8), so, here,³⁸In the downfall of Babylon. “your nakedness will be exposed.” Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I am destined to bring punishment upon the daughter of Babylon, and even though Daniel will seek mercy on its behalf, as it is written: “Redeem your sins with charity…” (Daniel 4:24), I will not listen to him.’ Why? “Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name” (Isaiah 47:4).³⁹Our redemption and the construction of the second Temple are contingent upon the downfall of Babylon.

Juda and Hezekiah, the sons of R. Chiya, were sitting at a banquet before Rabbi [the Nassi] and did not utter a word. The Rabbis remarked: "Let the wine get the better of the youngsters (let them become a little merry), so that they shall say something." As soon as they were filled with wine they began sayiug: "Ben David will not come until there will be an end to the two families (dynasties), that of the Babylonian Exilarchs and that of the Princes of Palestine, as it is said (Is. 8, 14) And he will be for a sanctuary; but also for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock to fall over unto the two houses of Israel." Whereupon Rabbi exclaimed: "Children! you are throwing thorns in my eyes!" "Rabbi," remarked they "Yayin (wine) amounts numerically to seventy, and the word Sod (secret) amounts to seventy, hence as soon as wine enters the secret goes out." R. Chisda lectured: "What is the meaning of the passage (Dan. 9, 14) Therefore was the Lord hurried to bring the evil, and He brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous; i.e., is it because the Lord our God is righteous that He hurried to bring upon us the evil? No, this means, the Holy One, praised be He! did charity with Israel in that He caused the exile of Zedekiah to come while those of the exiled of Yechanyah were still alive; as it is said concerning Yechanyah (II Kings 24, 16) And the craftsmen and the locksmiths a thousand; i.e., Cheresh means if they opened a question all became deaf, and Massger (locker) if they closed the argument of a thing none could reopen it." And how many were they? A thousand. Ulla said: "The charity consists in that the Holy One, praised be He! made the exile earlier by two years indicated through the word V'noshantem." R. Acha b. Jacob said: "Infer from this that 'quick' means eight hundred and fifty-two years to the Omnipotent."

Rabbi Abbahu began: “But they, like men [ke’adam], have violated the covenant” (Hosea 6:7) – this is Adam the first man. The Holy One blessed be He said: I brought Adam the first man into the Garden of Eden, I commanded him, and he violated My command. I sentenced him to banishment and expulsion, and I lamented him with eikha. I brought him into the Garden of Eden, as it is stated: “He placed him in the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 2:15). I commanded him, as it is stated: “The Lord God commanded the man saying.… [but from the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat]” (Genesis 2:16–17). He violated My command, as it is stated: “Have [you eaten] from the tree from which I commanded you [not to eat?]” (Genesis 3:11). I sentenced him to banishment, as it is stated: “He banished the man” (Genesis 3:24). I sentenced him to expulsion, as it is stated: “The Lord [God] sent him from the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 3:23). I lamented him with eikha, as it is stated: “He said to him: Where are you [ayeka]” (Genesis 3:9); it is written eikha.¹¹Ayeka and eikha are each spelled alef, yod, kaf, heh. Thus, it is as though God used the word eikha, how, regarding Adam, as if to say: How did this come to be, just as the first word of Lamentations is how [eikha].
His descendants, too, I brought into the Land of Israel, as it is stated: “I brought you into a fruitful land” (Jeremiah 2:7). I commanded them, as it is stated: “Command the children of Israel” (Leviticus 24:2). They violated My command, as it is stated: “All Israel has violated your Torah” (Daniel 9:11). I sentenced them to banishment, as it is stated: “From My house I will banish them” (Hosea 9:15). I sentenced them to expulsion, as it is stated: “Send them from My presence and let them go” (Jeremiah 15:1). I lamented them with: “How does…sit solitary?” (Lamentations 1:1).

It is written: So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4). Every person loved by his king is also loved by the king’s courtiers, but if he is loved by the courtiers he is not necessarily loved by the king. The righteous, however, are loved by the Holy One, blessed be He, by the angels, and by all creatures. Whence do we know this to be so? You find that when the angel visited Daniel he called him greatly beloved three times: And he said unto me: Daniel, thou man greatly beloved, give heed unto the words that I speak unto thee (Dan. 10:11); O man, greatly beloved, fear not! (ibid., v. 19); and And I come to declare it, for greatly beloved art thou (ibid. 9:23). Why was he called greatly beloved? Happy indeed is the man who hears an angel calling unto him: O man, greatly beloved, for that man is beloved by the Holy One, blessed be He, extolled by the heavenly bodies, and adored by his generation. Similarly, Bezalel was loved by the Holy One, blessed be He, by those on high, and by those on earth, as is said: See, I have called by name Bezalel (Exod. 31:20), and it is written elsewhere: See, the Lord hath called Bezalel by name (ibid. 35:30). The word see in the latter verse refers to the heavenly beings, and the word see in the former verse alludes to the earthly beings. Hence, Scripture states: So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4).

5) And thus do we find with all the "confessors." David said (Tehillim 106:6) "We have sinned with our fathers; we have transgressed, and we have been wicked" (i.e., offended). Solomon, his son, said (I Melachim 8:47) "We have sinned, and we have transgressed, and we have been wicked." Daniel said (Daniel 9:5) "We have sinned, and we have transgressed, and we have been wicked and rebelled." He, too, confessed thus: "I have sinned, and I have transgressed, and I have offended before You."

(Deut. 29:11 [12]:) TO ENTER INTO THE COVENANT WITH THE LORD YOUR GOD, EVEN THROUGH HIS OATH. Three covenants did the Holy One make with Israel: one when they came out of Egypt, one when they stood before Mount Sinai, {one at Horeb,} and one here.⁷Tanh., Deut. 8:3. But why did he make <a covenant> with them here? Because they had {cooked} [revoked] the one which he had made with them <on Sinai>,⁸This identification appears in the parallel from the traditional Tanhuma. when they said (of the Golden Calf in Exod. 32:4): THIS IS YOUR GOD, O ISRAEL. For that reason he made < another covenant> with them on Horeb⁹The text should probably read: “With them here,” in accord with Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34. and established a curse over it for whoever would go back on his words. Now the word, ENTER (rt.: 'BR), <can> only be in the sense of one who says to his companion: May this curse come (rt.: 'BR) upon me, if I go back on this word. And so you find that, when they provoked the Holy One, they went into captivity. What did Daniel say (in Dan. 7:11)? AND ALL ISRAEL HAS TRANSGRESSED (rt.: 'BR) YOUR TORAH [….] SO THE CURSE (alah) AND THE OATH ARE POURED DOWN UPON US. Now alah can only be a curse,¹⁰Alah can also mean “oath” and “covenant.” as where it is stated (in Numb. 5:27): AND THE WOMAN SHALL BECOME A CURSE (alah). <This is> to teach you that, just as one imposes an oath on the suspect adulteress, so the Holy One imposed an oath upon Israel. But perhaps you will say: Why all this bother? It is not because I need you? Rather what shall I do to you, when I have already sworn to your ancestors, that I will never change anything for you and your children? It is therefore stated (in Deut. 29:12 [13]): IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH YOU TODAY AS HIS PEOPLE […,] <AS HE SWORE TO YOUR ANCESTORS, TO ABRAHAM, TO ISAAC, AND TO JACOB>. It also says (in Cant. 7:6 [5]): THE KING IS BOUND BY THE TRESSES. Now no one is bound except by an oath. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 30:4 [3]): <WHEN A WOMAN VOWS A VOW TO THE LORD> AND BINDS HERSELF WITH A BOND <….> Therefore, one cannot break his oath.

“Go, eat your bread joyfully, and drink your wine goodheartedly, as God has already accepted your actions” (Ecclesiastes 9:7).
“Go, eat your bread joyfully.” Rabbi Huna son of Rabbi Aḥa said: When the children take their leave from school,¹⁷To go home and eat their lunch. a Divine Voice emerges and says to them: “Go, eat your bread joyfully,” – your breath¹⁸The words of Torah you have expressed. has been accepted before Me as a pleasing aroma. When Jews take their leave of synagogues and study halls, a Divine Voice emerges and says to them: “Go, eat your bread joyfully” – your prayer has been accepted before Me as a pleasing aroma.
Another matter, “go, eat your bread joyfully” – this is the Torah portion of ḥalla; “and drink your wine goodheartedly” – this is the Torah portion of libations; “as God has already accepted your actions” – this is the entry of the Israelites into the Land, as it is stated: “When you come to the Land” (Numbers 15:2).
Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verse as regarding Abraham our patriarch. When the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Take now your son, your only one […and offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will tell you]” (Genesis 22:2), on the first day, he did not see anything, nor on the second. On the third day, this is what is written in its regard: “He saw the place from afar” (Genesis 22:4). What did he see? He saw a cloud affixed to the mountain. He said: It appears that this is the mountain upon which the Holy One blessed be He said to me to bring up my son Isaac. He said to him: ‘Isaac, my son, do you see what I see?’ [Isaac] said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to [Isaac]: ‘What do you see?’ [Isaac] said to him: ‘A cloud affixed to the mountain.’ He said to Eliezer and Ishmael, his lads: ‘Do you see anything?’ They said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘Since you do not see anything and the donkey does not see anything, “stay here with the donkey [im haḥamor]” (Genesis 22:5) – a people comparable to a donkey [am domin laḥamor].¹⁹The slaves and children of maidservants are lowly, and in that sense comparable to the donkey. Then he took Isaac and took him up mountains, took him down hills, and took him up to the peak of a particularly high and steep mountain. He built an altar, arranged the arrangement of wood, bound him upon it, and took the knife to slaughter him. Had the angel not come and said to him: “Do not extend your hand to the lad” (Genesis 22:12), he would have already slaughtered him.
When [Isaac] came to his mother, she said to him: ‘Where were you, my son?’ He said to her: ‘Father took me, and took me up mountains, took me down hills, and took me up to a certain mountain. He built an altar, arranged the arrangement of wood, bound me upon it, and took the knife to slaughter me. Had the angel not come and said to him: “Abraham, Abraham, do not extend your hand to the lad,” I would have already been slaughtered.’ When Sarah heard this, she screamed, and did not manage to complete her cry until her soul departed, as it is written: “Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and to weep for her” (Genesis 23:2). From where did he come? He came from Mount Moriah. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Abraham was ruminating in his heart: Perhaps there was a defect in my son and he was not accepted.²⁰He was deemed unfit to be sacrificed as an offering. A Divine Voice emerged and said to him: ‘Abraham, Abraham, “go, eat your bread joyfully…as God has already accepted your actions,” God has accepted your offering.’
Rabbi Mona of Shaab and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi interpreted the verse as regarding Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. This is analogous to a province that owed taxes to the king. The king dispatched a tax collector from the treasury to collect it. [When he was] at a distance of ten mil, the prominent leaders of the province emerged and lauded him, and he forgave one-third for them. At a distance of five mil, the middling ones emerged and lauded him, and he forgave one-third for them. When he neared [and was right outside the province], men, women, and children emerged to greet him, and he forgave it in its entirety. He said, ‘What is past is past, from here onward is a new account.’ So too, on the day before Rosh HaShana, the prominent leaders of the generation fast and the Holy One blessed be He absolves them of one-third of their transgressions, as it is stated: “Yet forgiveness is with You, so You will be feared” (Psalms 130:4). Rabbi Aḥa said: Forgiveness is primed for you from Rosh HaShana, “so You will be feared” – so Your fear will be on Your creations. Those days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, individuals fast, and the Holy One blessed be He absolves them of another third of their transgressions. On Yom Kippur, all of them fast, and the Holy One blessed be He absolves them of another third of their transgressions. When men, women, and children fast, the Holy One blessed be He forgives them for everything and says: ‘What is past is past, and the new account is from here onward.’ A Divine Voice emerges and says to them: “Go, eat your bread joyfully” – your prayer has already been heard.
Abba Taḥana the Pious was entering his city on Shabbat eve at [just before] nightfall, and his bundle was on his shoulder. He found a particular [individual] afflicted with boils lying at a crossroads. [The man] said to him: ‘Rabbi, perform for me a charitable act and bring me into the city.’ [Abba Taḥana] said: If I put down my bundle, how will I and my family earn a living? But if I abandon the man afflicted with boils, I deserve to lose my life. What did he do? He had the good inclination overcome the evil inclination and he took the man afflicted with boils into the city, and [then] came and took his bundle and entered with the light of the [setting] sun. Everyone was astonished and saying: Is this Abba Taḥana the Pious? He, too, ruminated in his heart and said: Would you say that I desecrated Shabbat? At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He caused the sun to shine, as it is written: “The sun of righteousness will shine for you, who fear My name” (Malachi 3:20). At that moment, he ruminated in his heart and said: Would you say that I will not receive reward?²¹He was concerned that the miracle was reward for his good deed and he would not receive reward in the World to Come. A Divine Voice emerged and said: “Go, eat your bread joyfully, and drink your wine goodheartedly, as God has already accepted your actions.” You will receive your reward.
Another matter, [the verse] “go, eat your bread joyfully,” is speaking of Daniel, the beloved man, as it is stated: “I was still speaking in prayer, and the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the previous vision, was flying swiftly [mu’af bi’af]” (Daniel 9:21); he flew and flew again. “He explained and spoke with me” (Daniel 9:22). Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Daniel, the beloved man, said: The Holy One blessed be He knows that I finished my prayer and He sent an angel²²Gabriel. and spoke with me, as it is stated: “He explained and spoke with me.” What did he say to me? He said to me: At the beginning of your supplications a word went forth” (Daniel 9:23). He said to me: I issued a decree that the Temple will be rebuilt. I said your request will be fulfilled at the beginning of your supplications, [but did not tell you until now] “because you are beloved,” (Daniel 9:23), for He desired his prayer.²³God desired Daniel’s prayers. Rabbi Shmuel bar Onya [said] in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: Beloved is written here three times, “beloved” (Daniel 9:23), “beloved” (Daniel 10:11), “beloved” (Daniel 10:19). [Gabriel] said to him: You are very beloved. You are beloved to your Creator, you are beloved to His entourage, and you are beloved to His Torah, as it is written: “For from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to fast before your God, your words have been heard” (Daniel 10:12), your prayer has been heard. A Divine Voice emerged and said to him: “Go, eat your bread joyfully” – your prayer has already been heard.

It is written (in Prov. 3:4): SO YOU SHALL FIND GRACE AND GOOD FAVOR IN THE EYES OF GOD AND HUMANITY. You have one who is pleasing to the king but is not pleasing to the people of the king's palace.³¹Gk.: palation; Lat.: palatium. There is also one who is pleasing to the people of the palace and not pleasing to the king. In the case of the righteous, however, when they are pleasing before the Holy One, they are pleasing before angels and before mortals. This is what you find in < the case of > Daniel. When the angel came to him, he called that person beloved three times: (Dan. 10:11:) < O DANIEL >, GREATLY BELOVED ONE, UNDERSTAND THE WORDS. It is also written (in Dan. 10:19): FEAR NOT, O GREATLY BELOVED ONE! (Dan. 9:23:) AND I HAVE COME TO DECLARE < IT > BECAUSE YOU ARE {ONE WHO IS} GREATLY BELOVED. And why did he call him GREATLY BELOVED three times? It is simply that a person is blessed when the angel brings him good news and says: You are beloved before the Holy One. You are also praised among the heavenly beings and beloved with your generation. Bezalel also was praised before the heavenly beings and among lower beings as well. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Exod. 31:2f.): SEE, I HAVE CALLED BEZALEL < … > BY NAME; < AND I HAVE FILLED HIM WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD, IN WISDOM >…. It is also written (in Exod. 35:30f.): THE LORD HAS CALLED BEZALEL < … > BY NAME; < AND HE HAS FILLED HIM WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD, IN WISDOM >…. See, < he is praised in one verse > among the heavenly beings; see, < he is praised in the other verse > among the lower beings. Ergo, it says (in Prov. 3:4): SO YOU SHALL FIND GRACE < AND GOOD FAVOR IN THE EYES OF GOD AND HUMANITY >.

(Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh.” This text is related (to Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness. [This verse is] to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not delight in convicting a person, as stated (in Ezek. 33:11), “As I live, says the Lord, it is not My delight for the wicked to die.” In what does He delight? In vindicating (rt.: tsdq) His people. Thus it is stated (in Is. 42:21), “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] vindication (tsdq)…,”⁴⁰This is the interpretation of the midrash and of the new JPS translation. [i.e.] because of His people's vindication (tsdq)] and not [their] conviction. So also you find that in the case of the first Adam, when he created him, He set him in the Garden of Eden. Then He gave him a command and said to him, “Eat this, but do not eat from this, for (according to Gen. 2:17) ‘on the day that you eat from it, you shall surely die.’” [When] he transgressed, he brought a sentence⁴¹Gk.: apophasis. upon himself. [And then] the Sabbath came, and He acquitted him.⁴²Heb.: pinnahu. This word means “removed him” as well as “acquitted him.” In other words, Adam’s acquittal meant that his sentence was reduced from death to removal from the Garden. So M. Pss. 92:3. He began to talk with him [about] whether he would repent. It is so stated (in Gen. 3:9), “The Lord God called unto Adam and said, ‘Where are you?’” [This means, “What is your state?”] The Lord can only mean the quality of mercy, as stated (in Exod. 34:6), “The Lord, the Lord is a merciful and gracious God.” For him He had the quality of mercy precede the quality of strict justice. Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness,” in that He does not delight in convicting a person. He began to talk with him, as stated (in Gen. 3:11-12), “Who told you that you were naked? Then the man said, ‘The woman….’” He left Adam alone and began to talk with the woman, as stated (in vs. 13), “Then the Lord God said to the woman….” But when He came to the serpent He did not talk with him. Instead He immediately gave him a sentence, as stated (in vss. 14–15), “So the Lord God said unto the serpent, ‘Because you have done this …. I will put enmity between you [and the woman]….’” [Then] He returned to the woman and said to her (in vs. 16), “I will greatly multiply your pain in pregnancy.” And when He returned to the man, He did not convict him. Rather He intimated to him that he should repent. Where is it shown? R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Levi, “When He said to him (in vs. 19), ‘By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread, [until you return …].’ ‘You return’ can only be mean repentance, since it is stated (in Hos. 14:2), ‘Return O Israel, to the Lord your God, as you have stumbled in your iniquity.’” When [Adam] did not repent, He expelled him from the Garden of Eden, as stated [(in Gen. 3:24), “And He drove out the man.” Ergo I would say (in Ps. 5:5), “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness.” What is the meaning of (ibid., cont.), “evil may not abide with You.” R. Tanhuma bar Hanila'i in the name of R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Johanan, “Before the Holy One, blessed be He, stand only angels of peace and angels of mercy, but the angels of wrath are far from Him. It is so stated (in Numb. 14:15), ‘the Lord, of long patience.’ Do we not already know that He is of long patience? But rather what is the meaning of He is ‘of long patience?’ That the angels of wrath are far from Him, as stated (in Is. 13:5), ‘They come from a far land from the end of the heavens, even the Lord and the weapons of his wrath.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 5:5, cont.), “evil may not abide with You”: R. Johanan said, “If you do not pursue evil, evil will not pursue you, nor will it dwell with you. Ergo, (Ps. 5:5, cont.), ‘evil may not abide with You,’ as ‘abide with You,’ can only mean dwelling, as stated (Exodus 2:48), ‘And if a stranger dwells with you.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 5:5, cont.), “evil may not abide with You”: R. Eleazar ben Pedat said in the name of R. Johanan, “The name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not mentioned in connection with evil but only in connection with good.” You know that it is so. When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the light and the darkness and gave them names, [Scripture] mentioned His name in connection with the light but did not mention His name in connection with the darkness.⁴³Gen. R. 1:6. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 1:5), “And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night.” Behold, it mentioned His name with the light; but when it comes to the dark it doesn’t say, “and God called the darkness night,” but “He called [the darkness] night.” So also you find that, when He created Adam and Eve, [Scripture] mentioned His name in connection with them, as stated (in Gen. 1:28), “Then God blessed them…”; but when He cursed them, it did not mention His name in connection with them. [Thus it is stated] (in Gen. 3:16-17), “And unto the woman He said […]. And unto Adam He said.” Now if you say [that] behold, [Scripture] mentioned [His name] in connection with the serpent when He cursed him, since it is written (in Gen. 3:14), “So the Lord God said unto the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, more cursed shall you be’”; the sages have taught thus: The Holy One, blessed be He, has mentioned His name in connection with three things, even though they stood for evil: In connection with the inciter, i.e., the serpent, since he incited the woman and said (in Gen. 3:5), “’For God knows that on the day that you eat from it, your eyes shall be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil,’ like Him. Just like He created His world, you [two] will be able to create worlds like Him. [But He doesn’t want this,] as every artisan hates his fellow [artisan].” So because he incited her and spoke slander, [Scripture] mentions His name in connection with [the serpent]. In connection with one who transgresses the words of the sages, as is stated (in Jer. 11:3), “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Cursed is the one who does not heed the words of this covenant.’” In connection with one who puts his trust in flesh and blood, as stated (in Jer. 17:5), “Thus says the Lord, ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in a human being, who makes flesh his strength and whose heart turns from the Lord.’”
So also you find in the case of Noah, [that Scripture used (God’s) name] when he blessed his sons, as stated (in Gen. 9:26), “And he said, ‘blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem…;’” but when he cursed Canaan, [Scripture did not mention the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, in connection with him], as stated (in vs. 25), “And he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan….’” So also you find in the case of Elisha the prophet, that when the king of Aram came to fight against Israel, he consulted with his servants and made pits [to trap] them. He said, “When Israel comes to fight against us, they will fall into the pits,” as stated (in II Kings 6:8-9), “When the king of Aram was fighting against Israel, [he consulted with his servants, saying, ‘My camp shall be in such and such a place.’ But the man of God sent unto the king of Israel [saying], ‘Take care [not to pass this place, because the Aramaeans are camping there.]’” So the Holy One, blessed be He, does nothing (according to Amos 3:7) without having revealed His purpose unto His servants the prophets. When Israel passed by once and twice without falling in, the king of Aram took notice and said to his servants (in II Kings 6:11), “Will you not tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?” His servants said to him (in vs. 12-14), “’[It is because] Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words which you speak in your bedroom.’ So he said, ‘Go and see [where he is, so that I can send and seize him,’ and it was told to him, saying, ‘Behold he is in Dothan.’ Then he sent horses and chariots and a heavy force there.” Immediately Elisha’s youth rose and saw that horses, riders and a force encircled the city. Immediately he cried out (in vss. 15-16), “and said [unto him], ‘Alas, my Lord, what shall we do?’ Then he said, ‘Fear not, for there are more with us than with them.’” Immediately Elisha prayed and mentioned the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in vs. 17), “Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘Lord, please open his eyes and let him see’; so the Lord opened the eyes of the servant and he saw, and there was the hill full of fiery horses and chariots round about Elisha!” Immediately Elisha arose and cursed the Aramaeans (in vs. 18), and he said, “’Please smite this nation with a blinding light’; so He smote them with a blinding light according to the word of Elisha.” Now [Scripture] did not mention the name, but when [Elisha] prayed over them again for their eyes to be opened, he said (in vs. 20), “O Lord, open the eyes of these men that they may see.” Ergo, the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is mentioned in connection with good, but not with evil. So also you find that when the prophet saw the four chariots that were compared to the four kingdoms (that would rule over Israel), [it states (in Zech. 6:1),] “and I lifted my eyes, and behold, four chariots were coming out between the two mountains….” But when it spoke about the redemption, [it states (in Zech. 2:3),] “Then the Lord showed me four smiths.” So also you find that when the five angels of destruction came to destroy Jerusalem, as stated (in Ezek. 9:2), “And here were six persons coming by way of the upper gate [which faces north, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand]”; Gabriel was sent with them, as it is written (in Ezek. 10:2), “Then He spoke unto the person clothed in linen and said, ‘Go in among the wheelwork.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Gabriel, “Fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city,” as it is written (in Ezek. 10:2), “Then He spoke unto the person clothed in linen and said, ‘Go in among the wheelwork [under the cherub, and fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city].’”⁴⁴Cf. below, Lev. 8:5. Gabriel came and stood at the wheel. The cherub said to him, “What do you desire?” He said to him, “Thus and so has the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded me.” He said to him, “Take [them].” He said to him, “You put them in my hand.” Immediately (according to Ezek. 10:7), “Then the cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim [unto the fire that was among the cherubim…].” R. Johanan said in the name of R. Simeon ben Johay, “If the coals had not been cooled off [while passing] from the hand of a cherub to the hand of Gabriel, there would not have remained of the enemies of Israel (a euphemism, meaning Israel) a [single] survivor or refugee.”⁴⁵Yoma 77a. For more details, see Lam. R. 1:13 (41). So the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to do what was evil, not by Himself, but through an angel. In the age to come, however, He will do what is good by Himself, as stated (in Ezek. 36:25), “I will sprinkle pure water upon you….” Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not abide with You.” What is the meaning of (Ps. 5:5) “and evil may not abide with You?” [It is] that [Scripture] does not cause the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, to rest upon evil, except for two [evil] sayings upon which the Holy One, blessed be He, did cause His name to rest. These are the following: (The first one is Dan. 9:14:) “So the Lord watched over evil and brought it upon us, because the Lord our God is righteous.” Was it because the Lord our God is righteous (tsaddik), that He brought the evil? It is simply that the Holy One, blessed be He, was charitable (tzekekah) to us when He first brought about the exile to Babylon of Jeconiah before the exile of Tsidikiyah. And what was charitable? That He first brought about the exile of Jeconiah to Babylon along with the artisans, the smiths, and all the valiant men. Now [those] descended to Babylon and they established a [framework] for Torah [study]. For if it had not happened like that, the Torah would have been forgotten in the exile. It is simply that those who believed in the words of Jeremiah went forth with the Torah. [They included (according to II Kings 24:16)] “a thousand artisans and smiths.” What is the meaning of “artisans (hrsh)?”⁴⁶Git. 88a; Sanh. 38a; Yalqut Shim‘oni, Dan., 1066. When they opened with words of Torah, all [present] became as those who are (deaf-)mute (hrsh). [And what is the meaning of] “smiths (rt.: sgr)?” After they closed (rt.: sgr) it, there was no one in all Israel who was able to open it. Ergo (in Dan. 9:14), “because the Lord our God is righteous.” So He acted justly during that exile in that He watched over it, and He still performed a great kindness for Israel [with reference to that exile]. How? In [the month of] Tebet they were scheduled to go into exile from Jerusalem, for so does [Scripture] say (in Ezek. 24:1-2), “[Then the word of the Lord came unto me in the ninth year of the tenth month on the tenth day of the month, saying,] ‘Son of man, write down the name of the day, [this very day;] on this very day [the king of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem].’” What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He said, “If they go forth now in the cold, they will die.” What did He do for them? He waited for them and sent them into exile during the summer. This is what the prophet says (in Jer. 8:13), “I will utterly gather them, says the Lord.” "Gather" ('sp) can only mean "exile," since it is stated (in Micah 2:12), “I will gather Jacob, all of you.” Hence, this too was a great kindness. Now, the second [evil saying associated with the name of the Holy One, blessed be He] is (Ezek. 9:4:) “And the Lord said unto him, ‘Pass through the midst of the city, [through the midst of Jerusalem and mark (the letter) taw⁴⁷The last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For various interpretations of its meaning, see the parallel version in Shab. 55a. on the foreheads of those people who moan and groan over all the abominations] ….’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Gabriel, “Go and write an ink taw upon the foreheads of the righteous, so that the angels of destruction will have no dominion over them. Then upon the foreheads of the wicked write a blood taw so that the angels of destruction will have dominion over them.” [The] prosecution⁴⁸Gk.: kategoria, i.e., “accusation,” “charge.” Here the concept is hypostatized as a separate being. came in before the Holy One, blessed be He, [and said to him], “Master of the world, how do the former differ from the latter?” He said to it, “The former are completely righteous, and the latter are completely wicked.” It said to Him, “It was in their power to protest, but they did not protest.” He said to it, “It was revealed and known to Me that, if they had protested, [the sinners] would not have accepted their [protest].” It said to Him, “Master of the world, if it was revealed and known in front of You, was if revealed in front of them? Hence they should have protested against them and demeaned themselves for the sanctification of Your name and take beatings from Israel upon themselves, just as the prophets endured [them].” So look at how many woes Jeremiah suffered from Israel; also Isaiah, of whom it is written (in Is. 50:6), “I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to the tearers of hair.” And [so with] the rest of the prophets. Immediately (in Ezek. 9:6) He spoke again to the angels of destruction, “[Kill off] old folk, youth ….” This also was a kindness, in that the Holy One, blessed be He, mitigated His wrath [by striking out] against Jerusalem, as stated (in Lam. 4:11), “The Lord has completed (klh) His wrath.” For if He had not done so, all Israel would have received a verdict of destruction (klyh). Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “and evil may not abide with You,” because the Holy One, blessed be He, does not cause His name to rest upon evil. So also even in the case of the wicked of Israel, He allotted them glory and did not mention them for evil. When He came to the offerings, He said to Moses (in Lev. 1:2), “Speak unto the Children of Israel and say unto them, ‘When one of you presents an offering to the Lord,’” [i.e.] “from Israel” and not from the idolaters. However, when He came to mention leprosy spots, He said (in Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has,” only saying “anyone.” Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “and evil may not abide with you.”

R. Chisda said in the name of Mar Ukba, and according to some, H. R. Chisda himself said that M'remar lectured: "What is the meaning of the passage (Dan. 9, 14) Therefore hath the Lord hurried to bring the evil, and He brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous. Is it because the Lord our God is righteous, that He hurried to bring upon us the evil? But this means, the Holy One, praised be He! did charity with Israel that He caused to speed the exile of Zedekiah when those who were exiled with Yechanyah were still alive, as it is said concerning Yechanyah (II Kings 24, 16) And the craftsmen and the smiths a thousand. Cheresh (craftsman), is a name given to one who when he asked a question all become deaf (cannot answer). Massger (smith), is a name given to one who when he closes a discussion, it could never be reopened [for having everything explained."] And how many were they? A thousand. Ulla said: "The charity consists in that He caused the exile with two years earlier, indicated through the word V'noshantem (and ye shall have remained long in the land)." R. Acha b. Jacob said: "Infer from this that soon means by the Omnipotent eight hundred and fifty-two years."

Another comment on For Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness (Ps. 5:5). R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, maintained: The Holy One, blessed be He, does not desire to prove His creatures guilty, He would rather that they pray unto Him so that he might accept them. R. Isaac propounded the query: Now that we have no prophet, no priest, no sacrifice, no Temple, no altar, who will atone for us? And He explained: Even though the Temple is no more, prayer remains available to us, as Scripture states: O Lord, hear; O Lord forgive (Dan. 9:19). And did you not say: Mine eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually (I Kings 9:3).

VIII) Let there be [for her] no escape (Jeremiah 50:29), it is written wwithin lacking, for Babylon is the seat of sovereignty and the house of royalty, and thus it says (Daniel 4:27) Is that not great Babylon, which I built to be a royal residence? And in it the kingdom of Israel sank and her kingdom was annulled, and Jeremiah told the remnant of Israel that the vengeance of Adonai would be avenged upon it in this world and in the future, so it is written Let there be no escape in this world, and continued on the margins Let there be no escape for her in the future.

They said that He is merciful, but He is more than merely merciful, For the Lord thy God is a merciful God (Deut. 4:31); the Lord is full of compassion and gracious (Ps. 103:8); The Lord is good to all (ibid. 145:9); To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness (Dan. 9:9). They said that He is a true judge (but He is more than a judge), for the Judgment is God’s (Deut. 1:17); God standeth in the congregation of God; in the midst of the judges He judgeth (Ps. 82:1). It says also: The Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice (ibid. 32:4). They said: He is faithful, yet He is more than simply faithful: The faithful God (ibid. 7:9); A God of faithfulness (ibid. 32:4). They said He is praiseworthy, but He is more than merely praiseworthy, as it is said: For who in the skies can be compared unto the Lord? (Ps. 89:7). It also says: A God dreaded in the council of the holy ones (Ps. 98:8); O Lord God of hosts, who is a mighty one like unto thee, O Lord? (ibid., v. 9); O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee among the gods, O Lord? (ibid. 86:8). It says likewise: My beloved is white and ruddy, His head is as the most fine gold. His hands are as rods of gold. His legs are as pillars of marble (Song 5:15).

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

[Another interpretation:] What is the meaning of (Ps. 5:5 [4]:) AND EVIL MAY NOT ABIDE WITH YOU? < It is > that < Scripture > does not cause the name of the Holy One to rest upon evil, except for two < evil > sayings upon which the Holy One did cause his name to rest. These are the following: (Dan. 9:14:) SO THE LORD WATCHED OVER EVIL AND BROUGHT IT UPON US, BECAUSE THE LORD OUR GOD IS HOLY. Was it because THE LORD OUR GOD IS HOLY, that HE WATCHED OVER EVIL? It is simply that the Holy One acted justly when he first brought about the exile to Babylon of Jeconiah along with the artisans, the smiths, and all those mighty in the Torah. Now they went down to Babylon and created an academy for Torah; for if it had not happened like that, the Torah would have been forgotten in the Exile. It is simply that those who believed in the words of Jeremiah went forth with the Torah. < They included > (according to II Kings 24:16) A THOUSAND ARTISANS AND SMITHS. What is the meaning of ARTISANS (HRSh)?⁶²Git. 88a; Sanh. 38a; Yalqut Shim‘oni, Dan., 1066. When they opened the Torah they all became as those who are deaf (HRSh). < And what is the meaning of > SMITHS (rt.: SGR)? After they closed (rt.: SGR) it, there was no one in all Israel who was able to open it. Ergo (in Dan. 9:14): BECAUSE THE LORD OUR GOD IS HOLY.

R. Simeon the son of Gamliel said in the name of R. Joshua: Since the Temple was destroyed, no day has lacked a curse, as it is said: Yea, a God that hath indignation every day (Ps. 7:12). R. Ze’era was of the opinion that the earlier curse(s) still prevail.¹⁷While the new day brings a new curse. R. Judah the son of Ilai said: The land of Israel was so irrepressible that it continued to bear fruit, despite the curse. In this world He made her (Israel) smoulder for seven years because of her sins, as it is said: And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week; and for half of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease; and upon the wing of detestable things shall be that which causeth appalment; and that until the extermination wholly determined be poured out upon that which causeth appalment (Dan. 9:27). However, in the world-to-come, the Holy One, blessed be He, will grant her the blessings she had enjoyed previously, as it is said: But Ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to My people Israel; for they are at hand to come (Ezek. 36:8).

And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of speaking (Exod. 31:18). R. Tanhuma began the discussion with the verse: Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness, but unto us confusion of face (Dan. 9:7). R. Nehemiah declared: Even though we believe that we have acted righteously before You, if we examine our actions we are abashed. There is no time at which we may come before You with confidence except when we bring our offerings to Your house, as it is said: When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase (Deut. 26:2). This entire subject is explained in the section Look forth from Thy holy habitation … and bless Thy people Israel (Deut. 26:15).

(Dan. 9:7:) WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT THERE IS A SHAMEFUL FACE WITH US, TO THIS VERY DAY, WITH THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH <AND THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM, WITH ALL ISRAEL>…. R. Judah bar Il'ay said:³⁷Tanh., Deut. 4:16; PRK 10:8; see M. Pss. 101:2. An idol ('avodah zarah) crossed the sea along with Israel, as stated (in Zech. 10:11): A RIVAL WIFE (tsarah)³⁸The midrash understands tsarah in this sense, although most biblical translations follow the other meaning of tsarah, i.e., “affliction,” distress,” or the like. So also above, Numb. 4a:7. SHALL CROSS IN THE SEA. Tsarah can only mean an idolatrous work, since it is stated (in Is. 28:20): AND THE MOLTEN IMAGE WAS A RIVAL WIFE AS WHEN ONE GATHERS ONESELF (in the same bed).³⁹Most translations render the passage quite differently, but what is given here better fits the sense of the midrash. See Sanh. 103b; Lev. R. 17:7. So the sea was rent asunder before them. Ergo (in Dan. 9:7): WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS. R. Judan said: It is written (in Jud. 1:22): THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH, FOR THEIR PART, WENT UP AGAINST BETHEL, AND THE LORD WAS WITH THEM. They were going to serve an idol, [yet you say:] AND THE LORD WAS WITH THEM. Ergo (in Dan. 9:7): WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS. R. Judah b. R. Simon said: (Jud. 18:27): THEY TOOK THAT WHICH MICAH HAD MADE, [i.e.,] the idol images, AND THE PRIEST THAT HE HAD, [i.e.,] the idolatrous priest, AND CAME {UNTO} [TO] LAISH…. They conducted an idolatrous worship, and it brought them luck.⁴⁰Cf. M. Pss. 3:3. And not only that, but they took some of the manna and offered it to idols, as stated (in Ezek. 16:19): ALSO MY BREAD, WHICH I GAVE YOU, FINE FLOUR, OIL, AND HONEY WHICH I HAD YOU EAT, YOU SET IT BEFORE THEM AS A PLEASING ODOR; AND SO IT WAS, SAYS THE LORD. What is the meaning of AND SO IT WAS (wayehi)? R. Judan said: It is just as you say: And it came to pass (wayehi) on the morrow, nevertheless (in Neh. 9:20): AND YOU DID NOT WITHHOLD YOUR MANNA FROM THEIR MOUTH. Ergo (in Dan. 9:7): WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

R. Nehemiah declared: When we examine our actions, we are filled with shame. Usually when a man gives his field to a tenant to work, the tenant supplies the seed and the labor, and they share equally in the produce. But the Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written: The Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof (Ps. 24:1), causes the rain and the dew to descend and protects everything, yet He desires only one tenth as tithe and one fiftieth as the priestly offering. Hence, Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness, but unto us confusion of face (Dan. 9:7). R. Yosé said: Was there a more shameful act than this? Israel crossed the Red Sea, and the idol Micah (had made) was carried with them when, as it is said: And over the tree affliction shall pass (Zech. 10:11). Nevertheless the sea split asunder for them. Therefore, Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness, but unto us confusion of face.

R. Eleazar queried: Who spoke this verse? Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah did when they left the furnace while all the nations gathered about, as it is said: And the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the king’s ministers being gathered about (Dan. 3:27). They stood around then and spat upon the Israelites, shouting at them: “You know that your God performs miracles and wonders such as these, yet you are responsible for destroying His house.”¹⁹The behavior of the Israelites, they charged, was responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. They spat upon their faces until the entire bodies were covered with spittle, but Hananiah and his companions lifted their faces and admitted the justice of Divine Judgment, saying: Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness, but unto us confusion of face (Dan. 9:7).

[(Dan. 9:7:) WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS. R. Eleazar said: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah spoke this verse while in the fiery furnace. You find that when Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah came up from the fiery furnace, all the kings of the peoples of the world assembled.⁴¹See also Sanh. 93a. This is what is written (in Dan. 3:27): THE SATRAPS, THE PREFECTS, THE GOVERNORS, AND THE ROYAL COMPANIONS ASSEMBLED. THEY SAW THOSE MEN…. Then all the peoples of the world said to them: You know that there is power in your God to perform all these miracles for you; yet you have caused him to destroy his house and exile his children. So all the peoples of the world spat before them (literally: into their faces), until they had produced a mass of spittle. Then Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah raised their faces toward heaven and said (in Dan. 9:7): WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT THERE IS A SHAMEFUL FACE WITH US. R. Joshua bar Nehemiah said: WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS, i.e., the righteousness of the judgment; BUT THERE IS A SHAMEFUL FACE WITH US, because we have provoked you so many times with you enduring us.

(Deut. 14:22:) “You shall surely tithe.” This is related to the verse (in Dan. 9:7) “With You, O Lord, there is righteousness, but there is a shameful face with us, to this very day, with the people of Judah [and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with all Israel].” R. Judah beRabbi Eliezer said,²⁴PRK 10:8; see M. Pss. 101:2. “An idol ('avodah zarah) crossed the sea along with Israel, as stated (in Zech. 10:11), ‘A rival wife (tsarah)²⁵The midrash understands tsarah in this sense, although most biblical translations follow the other meaning of tsarah, i.e., “affliction,” distress,” or the like. So also above, Numb. 4a:7. shall cross in the sea.’ Tsarah can only mean an idolatrous work, since it is stated (in Is. 28:20), ‘And [the molten image was a rival wife] as when one gathers oneself and the bed is too small.’²⁶Most translations render the passage quite differently, but what is given here better fits the sense of the midrash. See Sanh. 103b; Lev. R. 17:7. [Yet] the sea was rent asunder before them.” Ergo (in Dan. 9:7), “With You, O Lord, there is righteousness (zedekah, which also means charity).” R. Judan said, “It is written (in Jud. 1:22), ‘The House of Joseph, for their part, went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them.’ They were going to serve an idol, yet you say, ‘And the Lord was with them.’ Ergo (in Dan. 9:7), ‘With You, O Lord, there is righteousness (charity).’” R. Judah b. R. Simon said, “There is even greater righteousness (charity) than this. Behold, it states (Jud. 18:27), ‘they took that which Micah had made,’ [i.e.,] the idol images, ‘and the priest that he had,’ [i.e.,] the idolatrous priest, ‘and came to Laish,’ [i.e.,] Bamias, ‘to a people tranquil and unsuspecting.’ They conducted an idolatrous worship, and it brought them success, such that you say, ‘to a people tranquil and unsuspecting?’ And is there greater righteousness (charity) than that.” Ergo (in Dan. 9:7), “With You, O Lord, there is righteousness.”²⁷Cf. M. Pss. 3:3. R. Samuel bar Nahmani said, “You find that on the very day that Israel made the [golden] calf, manna fell. And not only that, but they took some of the manna and offered it to their idols, as stated (in Ezek. 16:19), ‘”Also My bread, which I gave you, fine flour, oil, and honey which I had you eat, you set it before them as a pleasing odor; and so it was,” says the Lord God.’” What is the meaning of “and so it was (wayehi)?” R. Judan said, “It is just as you say, ‘And it came to pass (wayehi) [like this] on the morrow’; nevertheless (in Neh. 9:20), ‘and You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth.’” Ergo (in Dan. 9:7), “With you, O Lord, there is righteousness (charity).” R. Eleazar said that Rabbi said, “Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah said this verse.” You find that when Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah came up from the fiery furnace, all the kings of the peoples of the world assembled.²⁸See also Sanh. 93a. This is what is written (in Dan. 3:27), “The satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the royal companions assembled [to look on those men.” Then all these king spit in front of them, and said to them, “You know that there is power in your God to perform all these miracles for you; yet you bow down to an idol, and you have caused Him to destroy His house, burn His chamber and exile you until now?” [They did this] until they had produced a mass of spittle. Then Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah raised their faces toward above and said (in Dan. 9:7), “’With you, O Lord, there is righteousness,’ that is justification of the verdict; ‘but there is a shameful face with us,’ because we have provoked You so many times with You enduring us.” It is taught in the name of R. Hiya, “By universal custom, if someone has a certain field, he may let it out for a half or a third or a quarter [of its yield]; but it is not like that with the Holy One, blessed be He. He causes the wind to blow, clouds to rise, rains to descend, dews to flourish, plants to grow, and fruits to become plump; yet he only says to separate out one tenth in front of Him.” For that reason Moses warned Israel (in Deut. 14:22), “You shall surely tithe.”

What is written above this? “And the Lord said to Moses: Speak to your brother Aaron…” (Leviticus 16:2) R’ Avin said: He said to him - go and comfort him with words, as it says “Speak to the heart of Jerusalem…” (Isaiah 40:2) “…that he should not come at all times…” (Leviticus 16:2) R’ Yehudah bar R’ Simon said: Moshe was greatly distressed by this. He said: oy! Perhaps Aharon my brother has been driven out from the inner space at all times! There is a time corresponding to the hour “…that he should not come at all times…” (ibid.) There is a time corresponding to the day “And water by measure you shall drink…” (Ezekiel 4:11) There is a time corresponding to the year, as it says “And it was, at the return of the year…” (Samuel II 11:1) There is a time corresponding to twelve years “Until the time when His word came…” (Psalms 105:19) There is a time corresponding to the seventy years, as it says “…since the destruction of Jerusalem seventy years.” (Daniel 9:2) And it says “…until the time of his own land come…” (Jeremiah 27:7) There is a time corresponding to eternity “You gave joy into my heart from the time that their corn…” (Psalms 4:8) The Holy One said to Moshe: it is not as you think. This is not a time of the hour, the day, the year, of twelve years, seventy years or of eternity. Rather, at any time which he wants to enter he may enter, but he must do it with this procedure. R’ Yehudah bar R’ Elazar said: with thirty-six bells and thirty-six pomegranates. The Rabbis say: with seventy-two bells and seventy-two pomegranates.

Rabbi Yoḥanan began: “A prophecy of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – the valley about which all the seers prophesy, the valley from which all the seers originated, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every prophet the name of whose city was not articulated was a Jerusalemite. “Valley of Vision” – as they cast the words of the seers to the ground.⁹³The residents treated the prophecies with derision, reflected in the term valley, as a valley is low ground. “What, indeed, happened to you, that you all ascended to the roofs?” (Isaiah 22:1). Did they in fact ascend to the roofs? Rabbi Levi said: These are the arrogant.
“Full of tumult [teshuot]” (Isaiah 22:2) – Rabbi Elazar ben Yaakov said: This expression is used in three senses: Troubles, tumult, and gloom. Troubles, as it is stated: “Does not hear the troubles [teshuot] caused by the oppressor” (Job 39:7); tumult, as it is stated: “Full of tumult [teshuot].” Gloom, as it is stated: “Darkness, gloom [shoa], and desolation” (Job 30:3).
“Clamorous city” (Isaiah 22:2) – a city of commotion; “merry town” (Isaiah 22:2) – a lively city; “your slain are not slain by the sword and they did not die in war” (Isaiah 22:2) – what are they? “Bloated by famine and ravaged by plague” (Deuteronomy 32:24).
“All your officers wandered together; from the bow [mikeshet] they were bound” (Isaiah 22:3) – due to their stubbornness [kashyutam], they were delivered to the kingdoms. Alternatively, “all your officers wandered together; from the bow they were bound” – as [the enemies] would untie the strings of their bows and bind with them. “All those found among you were bound together, they fled afar” (Isaiah 22:3) – they distanced themselves from hearing the words of Torah, just as it says: “From afar the Lord has appeared to me” (Jeremiah 31:2).
“Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly” (Isaiah 22:4) – Reish Lakish said: On three occasions the ministering angels sought to recite song before the Holy One blessed be He but He did not allow them to do so. These are: In the generation of the Flood, at the sea, and upon the destruction of the Temple. Regarding the generation of the Flood, what is written? “The Lord said: My spirit shall not abide in man forever” (Genesis 6:3).⁹⁴The midrash interprets the word abode [yadon] in the sense of singing praise [yaron], such that the verse means that God’s praise will not always be able to be sung over the occurrences regarding mankind. This interpretation is based on the fact that the Hebrew letters dalet and resh look very similar and are sometimes interchanged (Etz Yosef). At the sea it is written: “One did not approach the other the entire night” (Exodus 14:20).⁹⁵The terminology of this verse is reminiscent of the verse in Isaiah (10:3) describing the angels singing song to God. Regarding the destruction of the Temple it is written: “Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly; do not rush to comfort me” (Isaiah 22:4). It is not written here: Do not continue [to comfort me], but rather, “do not rush [ta’itzu].” The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: The words of comfort that you are reciting before Me, they are insults [ni’utzin] for Me. Why? “For it is a day of turmoil, trampling and confusion [mevukha] from the Lord, God of hosts” (Isaiah 22:5) – a day of turbulence, a day of plundering, and a day of weeping [bekhiya]. “Of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – it is the valley about which all the seers prophesy. “Breaching the wall and crying [vesho’a] to the mountain” (Isaiah 22:5) – for they were breaching the walls of their houses, using [the materials] for shields, and placing them atop their citadels [sho’eihem].
“Elam carried the quiver” (Isaiah 22:6) – Rav said: This is a collection of arrows. “Among chariots of men are horsemen, and Kir bared a shield” (Isaiah 22:6), for they were breaching the walls [kirot] of their houses and using [the materials] for shields. “And it was that your choicest valleys [amakayikh] filled with chariots” (Isaiah 22:7) – Rav said: To the full depth of [umkah] the sea waters. “And the horsemen directed themselves [shot shatu] to the gate” (Isaiah 22:7) – like weaving [mishteyei] they went and like weaving they came,⁹⁶They crossed like the warp and woof strings on a loom. and they appeared to be many.
“He laid bare the covering of Judah” (Isaiah 22:8) – exposing what was covered. “You looked on that day to the weapons in the house of the forest” (Isaiah 22:8) – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The Israelites had a weapon at Sinai, and the ineffable name was etched upon it. When they sinned it was taken from them. That is what is written: “The children of Israel were stripped of their ornament from Mount Ḥorev” (Exodus 33:6). How was it taken from them? Rabbi Aivu and the Rabbis: Rabbi Aivu said: It peeled off on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it off.
“You saw that the breaches of the city of David were many.… And you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke the houses to fortify the wall” (Isaiah 22:9–10) – this teaches that they would shatter their houses and add to the wall. But did Hezekiah not already do so? Is it not written: “He took courage and rebuilt the entire breached wall…” (II Chronicles 32:5)?⁹⁷Isaiah criticized the people for adding to the wall, whereas Hezekiah similarly rebuilt the walls as protection from his enemies and was not criticized. Hezekiah, however, put his trust in the Lord, God of Israel, but you did not put your trust in Him. That is what it says: “You did not look to the One who planned it, and you did not see the One who fashioned it long ago” (Isaiah 22:11).
“The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation” (Isaiah 22:12) – the ministering angels said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, it is written: “Majesty and glory are before Him” (Psalms 96:6), and You say this?’ He said to them: ‘I will teach you. That is what it says: “Disrobe and bare yourselves, and place a belt upon your waist” (Isaiah 32:11) – this is how you shall lament. “Smiting upon the breasts” (Isaiah 32:12) – on the first destruction and on the second destruction. “Over pleasant fields” (Isaiah 32:13) – on the house of My delight, which I made like a field. That is what it says: “Zion will be plowed like a field” (Micah 3:12). “Over a fruitful vine” (Isaiah 32:12) – this is Israel, just as it says: “You transported a vine from Egypt” (Psalms 80:9).’
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day…” (Isaiah 22:12) – that is what was stated in the verse by the sons of Koraḥ through the Divine Spirit: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me, [how I passed on with the throng and led them to the house of God]” (Psalms 42:5). Regarding whom did the sons of Koraḥ recite this verse? Regarding the congregation of Israel, as the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, I remember the security, tranquility, and calm in which I existed, and now it has grown distant from me. I am weeping and moaning and saying: If only I could be restored to the earlier times when the Temple was built, and You would descend to it from heaven On High and rest Your Divine Presence upon me. The nations of the world would laud me, and when I would request mercy for my iniquities, You would answer me. But now I am in shame and humiliation.’ They also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, my soul is desolate within me when I pass by Your Temple and it is destroyed, and a still small voice within it says: The place where the descendants of Abraham sacrificed offerings before You, the priests would stand on the platform, and the Levites would laud with their lyres, shall foxes prance in it? That is what is written: “On Mount Zion, which is desolate; foxes walk upon it” (Lamentations 5:18). But what shall I do? My iniquities have brought this upon me, the false prophets who were in my midst misled me from the path of life to the path of death.’ That is why it is stated: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me…”
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation…” (Isaiah 22:12) – when the Holy One blessed be He sought to destroy the Temple, He said: As long as I am inside it, the nations of the world will not touch it. So, I will avert My eyes from it, and I will take an oath that I will not attend to it until the time of the end of days. Then the enemies will come and destroy it. Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He took an oath by His right hand, and withdrew it behind Him. That is what is written: “He withdrew His right hand from before the enemy” (Lamentations 2:3). At that moment, the enemies entered the Sanctuary and burned it. Once it was burned, the Holy One blessed be He said: I no longer have an abode on the earth; I will remove My Divine Presence from it, and I will ascend to My original location. That is what is written: “I will go and return to My place, until they will be punished and they seek My presence” (Hosea 5:15). At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for what I have done. I rested My Divine Presence below for the sake of Israel. Now that they have sinned, I have returned to My original place. Heaven forbid that I have become a laughingstock to the nations and a mockery to the people. At that moment, Metatron⁹⁸This is the name of an important angel. came and fell on his face and said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I will weep but You shall not weep.’ He said to him: ‘If you do not allow Me to weep now, I will enter a place into which you have no authorization to enter, and I will weep, as it is stated: “But if you will not heed it, my soul will weep in concealed places due to your arrogance…”’ (Jeremiah 13:17).
The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: ‘Come and let us go, you and I, and let us see what the enemies did in My Temple.’ Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He and the ministering angels went, with Jeremiah before Him. When the Holy One blessed be He saw the Temple, He said: Certainly, this is My Temple and this is My resting place that enemies entered and did in it as they pleased. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for My Temple. My children, where are you? My priests, where are you? My beloved, where are you? What could I do for you? I warned you but you did not repent. The Holy One blessed be He said to Jeremiah: ‘Today I am like a person who had an only son, made a wedding canopy for him, and he died within his wedding canopy; do you not feel pain for Me or for My son? Go and call Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses from their graves, as they know how to weep.’ [Jeremiah] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I do not know where Moses is buried.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Go, stand on the bank of the Jordan, raise your voice, and call: Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise and see your flock who have been consumed by enemies.’ Immediately, Jeremiah went to the Cave of Makhpela and said to the patriarchs of the world: ‘Arise, as the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ They said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to them: ‘I do not know,’ because he feared that they would say: In your days this befell our children? Jeremiah left them and stood on the bank of the Jordan, and called out: ‘Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise, the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ He said to him: ‘What is different about today that I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ Jeremiah said to him: ‘I do not know.’ Moses left him and went to the ministering angels, as he was familiar with them from the time of the giving of the Torah. He said to them: ‘Ministers On High, do you know why I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ They said to him: ‘Son of Amram, do you not know that the Temple has been destroyed and Israel has been exiled?’ He was screaming and weeping until he reached the patriarchs of the world. Immediately, they rent their garments, placed their hands on their heads, and were screaming and weeping until the gates of the Temple. When the Holy One blessed be He saw them, immediately, “the Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for baldness and for donning sackcloth” (Isaiah 22:12). Had it not been for the verse that is written, it would have been impossible to say it. They were weeping and walking from this gate to that gate like a person whose deceased relative is lying before him. The Holy One blessed be He was lamenting and saying: Woe to a king who was successful in his youth and in his old age was not successful.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When the Temple was destroyed, Abraham came before the Holy One blessed be He weeping, pulling out his beard, tearing out the hair of his head, striking his face, rending his garments, ashes on his head, and he was walking in the Temple and lamenting and screaming. He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Why am I different from all nations and tongues that I have come to this state of shame and humiliation?’ When the ministering angels saw him, they too composed lamentations standing in rows and saying: “[Behold, their angels cry out outside.…] The highways are desolate, wayfarers have ceased; [he breached the covenant, rejected cities, regarded no man]” (Isaiah 33:7–8). What is “the highways are desolate”? The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The highways to Jerusalem that You prepared so that travelers would never cease from them, how have they become desolation?’ “Wayfarers have ceased” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The ways upon which Israel would travel on the festivals, how have they become idle?’ “Breached the covenant” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, the covenant of their patriarch Abraham has been breached, by means of whom the world was settled, and by means of whom You were recognized in the world as God on High, Maker of the heavens and the earth.’ “Rejected cities” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Have You rejected Jerusalem and Zion after You chose them?’ That is what is written: “Did You reject Judah, did Your soul loathe Zion…?” (Jeremiah 14:19). “Regarded no man [enosh]” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You did not consider Israel even like the generation of Enosh, who were the originators of idol worshippers.’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He attended to the ministering angels. He said to them: ‘Why are you composing lamentations like this, standing in rows?’ They said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, why did You not pay attention to Abraham, Your beloved, who came to Your House and lamented and wept?’ He said to them: ‘From the day that My beloved passed away from before Me to his eternal home, he did not come to My House, and now: “What has My beloved to do in My House?”’ (Jeremiah 11:15).
Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe: Why did You exile my children, deliver them into the hand of the nations, kill them with all kinds of uncommon deaths, and destroy the Temple, the place where I elevated my son Isaac as a burnt offering before You?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Your children sinned and violated the entire Torah and the twenty-two letters that are in it.’ That is what is written: “All Israel have violated Your Torah” (Daniel 9:11). Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, who will testify against Israel that they violated Your Torah?’ He said to him: ‘Let the Torah come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the Torah came to testify against them. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, you have come to testify against Israel that they violated your mitzvot, and you have no shame before me? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He circulated you among every nation and they did not want to accept you, until my descendants came to Mount Sinai and accepted you and honored you. Now you come to testify against them on their day of distress?’ Once the Torah heard this, it stood to one side and did not testify against them.
The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Let the twenty-two letters come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the twenty-two letters came. Alef came to testify against Israel that they violated the Torah. Abraham said to it: ‘Alef, you are the leader of all the letters, and you come to testify against Israel on their day of distress? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself on Mount Sinai and began with you, “I am [anokhi]⁹⁹Anokhi begins with the letter alef. the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2) – no nation other than my descendants accepted you, and you come to testify against my descendants?’ Immediately, alef stood to one side and did not testify against them.
Bet came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants, who are diligent in the five books of the Torah, as you are at the head of the Torah?’ That is what is written: “In the beginning [bereshit]¹⁰⁰Bereshit, the first word of the Torah, begins with a bet. God created” (Genesis 1:1). Immediately, bet stood to one side and did not testify at all.
Gimel came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants that they violated the Torah? Is there any nation who fulfills the mitzva of ritual fringes, which you appear at its head?’ That is what is written: “You shall make for yourselves twisted threads [gedilim]” (Deuteronomy 22:12).¹⁰¹Gedilim, which in Hebrew is the first word of this verse, begins with a gimel. Immediately, gimel stood to one side and did not testify at all. When all the letters saw that Abraham had silenced them, they were ashamed, stood by themselves, and did not testify against Israel.
Immediately, Abraham began [speaking] before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, at one hundred years You gave me a son. When he achieved cognition and was a thirty-seven-year-old young man, You said to me: Sacrifice him as a burnt-offering before Me. I became like a cruel person to him and had no mercy on him. Rather, I, myself, bound him. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Isaac began and said: ‘Master of the universe, when my father said to me: “God, Himself, will see to the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8), I did not delay fulfillment of Your words, and I was bound willingly upon the altar and extended my neck under the knife. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Jacob began and said: ‘Master of the universe, did I not remain in Laban’s house for twenty years? When I departed from his house, the wicked Esau encountered me and sought to kill my children, and I endangered my life on their behalf. Now they are delivered into the hand of their enemies like sheep to slaughter after I raised them like chicks and suffered the travails of child raising on their behalf, as most of my days I experienced great suffering for their sake. Will You not now remember this on my behalf to have mercy on my descendants?’
Moses began and said: ‘Master of the universe, was I not a loyal shepherd over Israel for forty years? I ran before them like a horse in the wilderness, yet when the time came for them to enter the land, You decreed against me that my bones would fall in the wilderness. Now that they have been exiled you sent to me to lament them and weep over them.’ This is the parable that people say: From the goodness of my master it is not good for me, and from his evil it is bad for me.
At that moment, Moses said to Jeremiah: ‘Go before me so I may go and bring them. I would like to see who is going to restrain them.’¹⁰²If I bring them back no one will dare stand in their way. Jeremiah said: ‘It is impossible to go on the way due to the corpses.’¹⁰³I am a priest, and it is prohibited for me to contract impurity imparted by a corpse. He said to him: ‘Nevertheless.’ Immediately, Moses went and Jeremiah was before him, until they reached the rivers of Babylon. They saw Moses and said to each other: ‘The son of Amram has come from his grave to redeem us from the hand of our adversaries!’ A Divine Voice emerged and said: ‘It is a decree from before Me.’ Immediately, Moses said to them: ‘My children, to return you is impossible, as the decree has already been issued. Rather, the Omnipresent will return you speedily.’ He left them. At that moment, they raised their voice in great weeping until their weeping ascended On High. That is what is written: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and also wept” (Psalms 137:1).
When Moses came to the patriarchs of the world, they said to him: ‘What have the enemies done to our descendants?’ He said: ‘Some of them they killed, some of them they tied their hands behind them, some of them were bound in iron chains, some of them were stripped naked, some of them died on the way and their carcasses were left for the bird of the heavens and the animals of the earth, and some of them were cast in the sun hungry and thirsty.’ Immediately, they all began weeping and lamenting: ‘Woe over what has befallen our children! How have you become like orphans without a father; how do you lie in the afternoon and in the summer without garment and without covering; how have you walked on mountains and on gravel with shoes removed and without sandals; how have you carried bundles filled with sand; how have your hands been bound behind you; how have you been unable to swallow even the spittle in your mouths?’ Moses began and said: ‘Cursed sun! Why did you not darken when the enemy entered the Temple?’ The sun responded to him: ‘Moses, loyal shepherd, how could I darken, they did not allow me and did not relent from me, as they took me with sixty rods of fire and said to me: Go and shine your light.’
Again Moses began and said: ‘Woe over your radiance, Temple, how has it gone dark? Woe that its time to be destroyed arrived, the Sanctuary was burned, schoolchildren killed, and their fathers sent to captivity, exile, and the sword.’ Again Moses began and said: ‘O captors, by your lives! You killers, do not kill cruelly and do not implement total annihilation, do not kill a son in the presence of his father, or a daughter in the presence of her mother, for the time will come when the Master of heaven will settle the score with you.’ But the wicked Chaldeans did not do so, but rather, would seat the son on his mother’s lap and say to his father: Rise and slaughter him. The mother would cry and her tears would fall on him, and his father would hang his head. He also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, You wrote in Your Torah: “An ox or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (Leviticus 22:28). But have they not killed many, many children and their mothers, and yet You are silent!’
At that moment, Rachel our matriarch interjected before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, it is revealed before You that Your servant Jacob loved me abundantly and worked for my father seven years for me. When those seven years were completed and the time for my marriage to my husband arrived, my father plotted to exchange me with my sister for my husband. The matter was extremely difficult for me when I became aware of that plot, and I informed my husband and gave him a signal to distinguish between my sister and me so that my father would be unable to exchange me. Afterward, I regretted what I had done and suppressed my desire. I had mercy on my sister, so that she would not be led to humiliation. In the evening they exchanged me with my sister for my husband, and I transmitted to my sister all the signals that I had given to my husband, so that he would think that she is Rachel. Moreover, I entered beneath the bed on which he was lying with my sister. He would speak with her and she would be silent, and I would respond to each and every matter that he said, so that he would not identify my sister’s voice. I performed an act of kindness for her, I was not jealous of her, and I did not lead her to humiliation. If I, who is flesh and blood, was not jealous of my rival, and I did not lead her to humiliation and shame, You who are a living and eternal merciful King, why were You jealous of idol worship that has no substance, and You exiled my descendants, and they were killed by sword, and the enemies did to them as they pleased?’ Immediately, the mercy of the Holy One blessed be He was aroused and He said: ‘For you, Rachel, I will restore Israel to its place.’ That is what is written: “So said the Lord: A voice is heard in Rama, wailing, bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be consoled for her children, as they are not” (Jeremiah 31:14). And it is written: “So said the Lord: Restrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, as there is reward for your actions.… And there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord, and your children will return to their borders” (Jeremiah 31:15–16).

Rav Naḥman began: “Oh, Ariel, Ariel” (Isaiah 29:1) – lion, mighty lion.¹¹⁰He understands the term Ariel to mean mighty lion [ari el]. “The city where David encamped” (Isaiah 29:1) – the city in which David encamped, a city in which no one other than David encamped,¹¹¹The city became the everlasting capital city of the Davidic kingdom. the city that David made his royal fortress. “Add year to year, festivals [ḥagim] will come around [yinkofu]” (Isaiah 29:1) – a year began and a year departed, but they did not ascend on the pilgrimage festivals. The roads were growing thorn bushes [higim]. That is what is written: “Ḥagim yinkofu.”¹¹²Ḥagim yinkofu is expounded to mean that travelers would have to remove the thorns [yinkofu higim]. “I will distress Ariel” (Isaiah 29:2) – Rabbi Nisa of Caesarea said: From here, that it had been a place of contentment for Israel. “There will be mourning and moaning” (Isaiah 29:2) – mortification upon mortification. “It will be for Me like Ariel” (Isaiah 29:2) – the second destruction will be like the first destruction. When they sinned they were exiled. When they were exiled, Jeremiah began lamenting over them, eikha.

Rabbi Pinḥas began: “If after these you will not heed Me…” (Leviticus 26:18). Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua: Rabbi Eliezer says: The Holy One blessed be He does not bring punishment upon Israel until He first warns them. That is what is written: “If after these.” Rabbi Yehoshua says: So Israel would not say: The blows have ceased; He has no others to bring upon us, the verse states: “If after these [ad],” if there are more [od] of these, He has other [punishments] and more like these to bring [upon you]. “I will punish you further, seven ways for your sins” (Leviticus 26:18) – You violated seven transgressions before Me; come and accept upon yourselves seven punishments. You violated seven transgressions before Me, so Jeremiah comes to recite lamentations over you which are seven alphabetic [acrostics], eikha.¹¹³The book of Lamentations contains three alphabetical acrostics, in chapters 1,2, and 4, each beginning with the word eikha. Additionally, chapter 3 contains a triple alphabetical acrostic. Chapter 5 is not written in an acrostic, but since it has twenty-two verses, which are the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, the midrash refers to this too as alphabetical in the sense that it corresponds to the number of letters in the alphabet (Matnot Kehuna).

“And in the first year of Cyrus, the king of Persia, at the completion of the word of the Lord from the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord aroused… So said Cyrus, the king of Persia… Who is among you of all His people… And the heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose…” (Ezra 1:1-5) “…forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty. Besides their slaves…” (Ezra 2:64-65) This was the overall count, but in specifics of the count they are only thirty thousand three hundred and sixty. Where did the other twelve thousand go? These are the members of the other tribes who went up. “And they set the altar on its bases… And they gave money to the quarries…” (Ezra 3:1-7) Cyrus reigned for three truncated years. “And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign… Then the work of the House of God, which was in Jerusalem, was stopped…” (Ezra 4:6-24) “In the third year of his reign, he made a banquet…” (Esther 1:3) Esther was hidden in Shushan the capitol for four years, “So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus…” (Esther 2:16) Haman gathered spoils against Mordecai for five years, “In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus…” (Esther 3:7) On the thirteenth of Nisan Haman wrote the letters “…to destroy, kill, and cause to perish all the Jews…” (Esther 3:13) On the fifteenth of Nisan Esther went in to the king. On the sixteenth of Nisan they hung Haman. On the twenty-third of Nisan Mordecai wrote letters to contradict Haman’s decree. On the thirteenth of Adar “And the Jews smote all their enemies…” (Esther 9:5) They killed five hundred in Shushan, and they hung the ten sons of Haman because “…they wrote an accusation against the dwellers of Judea and Jerusalem.” (Ezra 4:6) “On that day, the number of those slain in Shushan the capital came before the king.” (Esther 9:11) And at that time in the coming year, it says “Now, Queen Esther, the daughter of Avichayil, and Mordecai the Jew wrote down…” (Esther 9:29) Behold, it says “For at the completion of seventy years of Babylon…” (Jeremiah 29:10) and “…since the destruction of Jerusalem seventy years.” (Daniel 9:2) Israel spent fifty-two years after the destruction of the Temple under the rule of the Chaldeans, and then they went up. Three years of Cyrus, fourteen of Ahasuerus, two of Darius. In the second year of Darius, the Temple was rebuilt. So Zechariah said “And the angel of the Lord replied and said, ‘O Lord of Hosts! How long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and upon the cities of Judah, upon whom You are wroth for seventy years already?’” (Zechariah 1:12) The Temple stood for four years, as it says “And the completion of this House…” (Ezra 6:15) And at that time in the coming year Ezra came up from Babylon with a new group of exiles, as it says “Ezra ascended from Babylon… And there ascended from the Children of Israel… in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes… For on the first of the first month… For Ezra had prepared his heart…” (Ezra 7:6-10) He came and separated Israel from the foreign women.

“For the mountains I will take up weeping and wailing…” (Jeremiah 9:9) – Rabbi Aḥa said: Nebuchadnezzar commanded Nevuzaradan three matters concerning Jeremiah: “Take him and keep your eyes on him” (Jeremiah 39:12) – on him and not on his nation. “Do not do anything harmful to him” (Jeremiah 39:12) – to him do not do, but to his nation do as much harm as you please. “As he will say to you so you shall do to him” (Jeremiah 39:12) – but not to his nation. Jeremiah would see a group of lads placed in collars, and he would place his head with them, and Nevuzaradan would come and remove him from them. He then would see elders chained in chains. He would place his neck with them, and Nevuzaradan would come and remove him from them. Nevuzaradan said to him: ‘Look, you are one of three things; either you are a false prophet, or you are contemptuous of suffering, or you are a shedder of blood. Maybe you are a false prophet, as all these years you are prophesying about this city that it will be destroyed, and now that it is being destroyed, your soul is greatly troubled. Or you are contemptuous of suffering, as I do not wish to do you any harm, but you wish to do yourself harm, as though to say: Suffering is nothing for me. Or you are a shedder of blood, as the king commanded me extensively in your regard that I not do you any harm, and you seek to do harm so that the king will hear and execute this man.’¹³⁶Nevuzaradan was referring to himself.
Ultimately, he said to him: ‘If you agree, come and I will keep my eye on you,’ but he did not accept it, as it is stated at the end of the portion, until it was stated to him from the mouth of the Almighty.¹³⁷Nevuzaradan had suggested that Jeremiah come to Babylon under his protection or remain in the Land of Israel, but Jeremiah had insisted on remaining with the other captives who were being exiled to Babylon, until God spoke to him. See Jeremiah 40:1–5. That is what is written: “This is the matter that was to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying” (see Jeremiah 40:1). What was that matter? He said to him: ‘Jeremiah, if you remain here, I will go with them, and if you go with them, I will remain here.’ He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, if I go with them, in what way can I benefit them? Rather, let their King, their Creator go with them, as He can benefit them greatly.’ That is what is written: “After Nevuzaradan, captain of the guards, sent him …and he had been bound in chains” (Jeremiah 40:1). Rabbi Aḥa said: As it were, both he and Him were bound in chains. Similarly, it is written: “And I am in the midst of the exile” (Ezekiel 1:1).¹³⁸“And I” is expounded to mean: I – Ezekiel; and – God.
Until where was Jeremiah’s prophecy?¹³⁹What was the last prophecy Jeremiah conveyed to those who were being led into exile. Alternatively, the midrash assumes that the book of Jeremiah is not written in chronological order, and asks which was his last prophecy (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Yaakov and Rabbi Aba, and some say Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yoḥanan: one said: Until, “He who scattered Israel will gather them” (Jeremiah 31:9). The other says: Until, “there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord, and your children will return to their border” (Jeremiah 31:16).
Upon his return,¹⁴⁰From Rama (see Jeremiah 40:1). he would find severed toes cast on the mountains. He would gather them, caress them, hug them, kiss them, and place them in his garment. He would say to them: ‘My children, did I not warn you of this and say to you: “Give honor to the Lord your God before it grows dark and before your feet will stumble on the mountains of the night” (Jeremiah 13:16)?’ Regarding that moment it is stated: “For the mountains I will take up weeping and wailing, and for the oases [neot] of the wilderness a lamentation” (Jeremiah 9:9) – for those beautiful and excellent mountains I will take up weeping and wailing, on the abodes [neot] of Jacob that have been transformed into a lamentation. “They did not hear the sound of livestock [mikneh]” (Jeremiah 9:9) – they did not hear the sound of words of Torah or the sound of the words of prophecy, but rather mikneh, the sound of words that arouse jealousy [mekaneh]. They aroused His zealotry with idol worship [avoda zara], just as it says: “They would arouse His jealousy with strangers [zarim]” (Deuteronomy 32:16). Therefore, “from the birds of the heavens to the animals, they have wandered and gone” (Jeremiah 9:9).
Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta said: For fifty-two years, no bird was seen flying in the Land of Israel. What is the source? “From the birds of the heavens to the animals [behema], they have wandered and gone” (Jeremiah 9:9); the numerical value of behema is fifty-two.¹⁴¹Bet – 2; heh – 5; mem – 40; heh – 5 = 52
Rabbi Ḥanina said: Forty years before, they¹⁴²God caused the Babylonians to plant the trees in preparation for the impending exile. would plant date palms in Babylon, indicating that sweet foods accustom the tongue to Torah. Rabbi Ḥanina son of Rabbi Abbahu said: There are seven hundred species of kosher fish, eight hundred species of kosher grasshoppers, and innumerable birds, and all of them were exiled with Israel to Babylon. When they returned, all of them returned with them with the exception of one fish whose name is shibuta. How were the fish exiled? Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: They were exiled via the depths, and they returned via the depths.
Rabbi Zeira said: Come and see how insolent is the Land of Israel, that it continues producing fruit.¹⁴³It does so even though it was decreed that after Israel is exiled the land would remain desolate (see Leviticus 26:32). Why does it produce fruit? Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: one said: Because they fertilize it. The other said: Because they overturn its soil.¹⁴⁴Before Israel was exiled, it would produce even without these measures.
Rabbi Yudan said: For seven years, [the curse] of sulfur and salt¹⁴⁵See Deuteronomy 29:22 was fulfilled for them. Why to that extent? “He will promote a covenant with the multitudes for one period of seven years” (Daniel 9:27). What did the Cuthites among them do? They would sow it in small plots. They would sow here, and it would be burned, they would sow there and it would be burned. There was an incident involving an individual who was standing and plowing in the Beit Arava Valley, and his hand grasped his plowshare. Hot soil arose and burned his arm, to realize what is stated: “Sulfur and salt, its entire land is afire” (Deuteronomy 29:22).
Rabba bar Kahana said: They are neither an indication of forgiveness in the land nor an indication of desolation of the land,¹⁴⁶This statement refers to the return of the birds and fish to the Land of Israel, and to the original exit of the birds and fish from the land (Matnot Kehuna). but rather it is from before Him, to realize what is stated: “Fear of you and dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, [and upon every bird of the heavens, and upon all that crawls on the ground, and upon all fish of the sea]” (Genesis 9:2).¹⁴⁷Since these creatures are subject to domination by man, it stands to reason that if humanity could no longer reside in the land of Israel, neither could these creatures. But in the future, everything will return. That is what is written: “The land that had been desolate will be tilled, instead of being desolation in the eyes of every passerby” (Ezekiel 36:34).
The prologue of the Sages to Midrash Eikha Rabati is complete.

Rabbi Ishmael said: Every son of the old age || is beloved of his father, as it is said, "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age" (Gen. 37:3). Was he then the son of his old age? Was not Benjamin the son of his old age? But owing to the fact that (Jacob) saw by his prophetic power that (Joseph) would rule in the future, therefore he loved him more than all his sons. And they envied him with a great envy, as it is said, "And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren; and they hated him" (ibid. 4). Further, because he saw in his dream that in the future he would rule, and he told his father, and they envied him yet more and more, as it is said, "And they hated him yet the more" (ibid. 8). Moreover, he saw the sons of his father's concubines eating the flesh of the roes and the flesh of the sheep whilst they were alive, and he brought a reproach against them before Jacob their father, so that they could not see his face any more (in peace), as it is said, "And they could not speak peaceably unto him" (ibid. 4). Jacob said to Joseph: Joseph, my son ! Verily I have (waited) many days without hearing of the welfare of thy brethren, and of the welfare of the flock, as it is said, "Go now, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flock" (ibid. 14). And the lad was wandering in the field, and the angel Gabriel met him, as it is said, "And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field" (ibid. 15). (The word) "man" (here in this context) is Gabriel only, as it is said, "The man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision" (Dan. 9:21).

One verse states "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you," and another, (Devarim 10:17) "who does not lift the countenance" (i.e., who does not forgive) and who does not take a bribe." How are these two verses to be reconciled? When Israel do the L-rd's will — "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you"; when they do not do the L-rd's will — "who does not lift the countenance." Variantly: Before the decree has been sealed — "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you"; after the decree has been sealed — "who does not lift the countenance." One verse states (Psalms 65:3) "O, heeder of prayer, to You does all flesh come," and another, (Eichah 3:44) "You have covered Yourself with a cloud against the passing of prayer." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "heeder of prayer"; after the decree has been sealed — "You have covered Yourself with a cloud." One verse states (Psalms 145:18) "Close is the L-rd to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth," and another, (Ibid. 10:1) "Why, O L-rd, do You stand afar?" How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed" — "Close is the L-rd to all who call upon Him"; after the decree has been sealed, He is "afar." One verse states (Eichah 3:28) "From the mouth of the Most High there shall not issue forth the evils and the good," and another, (Daniel 9:14) "and the L-rd was anxious for the evil (to materialize)." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "From the mouth of the Most High there shall not issue forth the evils and the good"; after the decree has been sealed — "and the L-rd was anxious for the evil." One verse states (Jeremiah 4:14) "Wash your heart of evil, O Jerusalem, so that you be saved," and another, (Ibid. 2:22) "Though you wash yourself with niter and add borax, your sin is an (indelible) stain before Me." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "Wash your heart of evil, O Jerusalem"; after the decree has been sealed — "Though you wash yourself with niter and add borax, your sin is an (indelible) stain before Me." One verse states (Ibid. 3:22) "Return, you wayward sons," and another, (Ibid. 8:4) "If they (wish to) return, He will not return" (to accept them.) How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "Return, you wayward sons"; after the decree has been sealed — "If they return, He will not return." One verse states (Isaiah 55:6) "Seek the L-rd when He is found," and another, (Ezekiel 20:3) "As I live (says the L-rd), will I be sought out for you?" How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "Seek the L-rd when He is found"; after the decree has been sealed — "Will I be sought out for you?" One verse states (Ibid. 18:32) "For I do not desire the death of the dead one," and another (I Samuel 2:25) "… for the L-rd desired to kill them." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "For I do not desire the death of the dead one"; after the decree has been sealed — "for the L-rd desired to kill them." Variantly: One verse states "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you," and another (Devarim 10:17) "who does not lift the countenance." How are these two verses to be reconciled? "The L-rd lift His countenance" — in this world; "who does not lift the countenance" — in the world to come. Variantly: "The L-rd lift His countenance" — (Let Him) remove His anger from you. "and grant you peace": peace in your coming in and peace in your going out and peace with all men. R. Chanina, the adjutant high-priest says: "and grant you peace" — in your house. R. Nathan says: This is the peace of the Davidic kingdom, of which it is written (Isaiah 9:6) (the king) "who increases the governance (of the L-rd), and his peace will be endless. Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom" (shall this peace be). Variantly: This is the peace of Torah, of which it is written (Psalms 29:11) "The L-rd gives strength (Torah) to His people; the L-rd blesses His people with peace." Great is peace, the Holy One Blessed be He deviating from the truth for its sake in the instance of Sarah, who said "I am old" (see Bereshit 18:12-13). Great is peace, the angel deviating from the truth for its sake in the instance of Manoach for its sake (viz. Judges 13). Great is peace, the Name written in holiness being erased by the bitter waters (of the sotah) to make peace between a man and his wife. R. Elazar says: Great is peace, the prophets having exhorted all men for its sake. R. Shimon b Chalafta says: Great is peace, it being the only vessel which contains all of the blessings, it being written "The L-rd gives strength to His people; the L-rd blesses His people with peace." R. Elazar Hakappar says: Great is peace, all of the blessings being sealed with peace, viz.: "The L-rd bless you and keep you. The L-rd cause His countenance to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The L-rd lift His countenance unto you and grant you peace." R. Elazar the son of R. Elazar Hakappar says: Great is peace, for even if the idolators live in peace, the Holy One, as it were, does not "touch" them, as it is written (Hoshea 4:17) "Ephraim (Yisrael) has bound himself (in friendship to serve) idols — Let him be." But when they were divided amongst themselves, what is written of them? (Ibid. 10:2) "Their hearts are divided — Now they will be laid waste!" How great is peace! — How abhorrent is contention! Great is peace, for even in time of war, peace is needed, viz. (Devarim 20:10) "If you draw near a city to do battle with it, then you shall call out to it for peace," (Ibid. 2:26) "And I sent messengers from the desert of Kedemoth to Sichon, king of Moav, (with) words of peace," (Judges 11:12) "And Yiftach sent messengers …" What did he (the king of Ammon) say? (13) "And now, return them (the lands you took from us) in peace." Great is peace, for even the dead need peace, as it is written (Bereshit 15:13) "And you will come to your fathers in peace," and (Jeremiah 34:5) "In peace will you die, and as the burnings of your fathers, etc." Great is peace, which is given to the penitent, as it is written (Isaiah 57:19) "(I will) create (for him [the penitent a new]) expression of the lips:" Shalom Shalom! (And both will be alike, both) the far (i.e., one who had served the L-rd from his youth) and the near (i.e., one who had sinned and had just repented), etc." Great is peace, which was given in the portion of the righteous, as it is written (Ibid. 2) "Let him (the righteous one) come in peace (to the grave). Let them (the men of lovingkindness) rest (peacefully) where they lie." Great is peace, which was not given in the portion of the wicked, viz. (Ibid. 21) "There is no peace, says the L-rd, for the wicked." Great is peace, which was given to the lovers of Torah, viz. (Psalms 119:165) "Peace in abundance for the lovers of Your Torah." Great is peace, which was given to the humble, viz. (Ibid. 37:11) "and the humble will inherit the land and rejoice in an abundance of peace." Great is peace, which was given to the learners of Torah, viz. (Isaiah 59:13) "And all your children will be (as if) taught by the L-rd, and (there will be) an abundance of peace (among) your children." Great is peace, which is given to the doers of righteousness, viz. (Ibid. 32:7) "And the reward of righteousness will be peace." Great is peace, for the name of the Holy One Blessed be He is "Peace," viz. (Judges 6:24) "and he called it (the altar) 'the L-rd is Peace.'" R. Chanina, the adjutant high-priest says: Great is peace, which is over and against the entire creation, as it is written "who makes peace … and creates all" (viz. Isaiah 45:7). Great is peace, which is needed (even) by the celestial creations, viz. (Job 25:22) "Governance and fear is with Him: He makes peace in His heights." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If in a place where there is no enmity, or rivalry, or hatred, or hostility, peace is needed — how much more so, in a place where all of these obtain!

AND MOSES BESOUGHT THE LORD HIS GOD (32, 11). R. Tanhuma b. Abba began thus: Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn back His wrath (ps. 106.23). R. Hama b. Hanina said: The good advocate knows how to present his case clearly before the tribunal. Moses was one of the two advocates that arose to defend Israel and set themselves, as it were against the Holy One, blessed be He. These were Moes and Daniel. That Moses was one we deduce from: ‘Had not Moses His chosen, etc.,’ and that Daniel was the other we infer from: And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer, etc. (Dan IX, 3). These were the two men who set their face against the Attribute of strict Justice in order to plead for mercy on Israel’s behalf.