Midrash sobre Isaías 43:9

ABODA ZARA (Fol. 2) R. Chanina b. Papa, according to others, R. Simlai, lectured: "In the future, the Holy One, praised be He! will bring the Holy Scroll in His arm, saying: 'Whoever was occupied with the Torah shall appear and receive his reward.' The nations then at once will gather themselves and come motley crowded, as it is said (Is. 43, 9) All the nations are gathered together, etc. The Holy One, praised be He; however, will tell them: 'Do not enter in such confusion, but let each nation (Ib. b) with her scribes enter separately,' as it is said (Ib. ib. ib.) And the peoples (I'umim) are assembled.' And l'umim (people) refers to kingdoms, as it is said (Gen. 25, 23) And the one people shall be stronger than the other people (Ul'om milom ye'ematz). Can there be such a thing as confusion before the Holy One, praised be He? It means they themselves shall not be confused, so that they shall understand what will be said to them. Immediately thereupon the kingdom of Rome will enter first on account of its greatness. And whence do we know that it is great? The passage says, (Dan. 7, 23) And shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And R. Jochanan said: 'This refers to Rome whose government is recognized all over the world.' But whence do we know that the more distinguished come first to judgment? It is as R. Chisda said: 'When a king and the people appear before justice, the king should be considered first; as it is said (I Kings 8, 59) To maintain the cause of his servant (the king David) ); [and after this it says] And the cause of His people. Why so? If you wish, you may say it would not be good ethics to have the king sit outside of the court during the trial of the people! and if you wish you may say, he (the king) should be tried before the court becomes excited with anger.' The Holy One, praised be He! will question her (Rome): 'What was your occupation in the world?' To which she will answer: 'Sovereign of the Universe! We have established many markets, we have constructed many bath-houses, we have multiplied in great mass gold and silver and all this was done for the sake of Israel, to enable them to study the Torah.' To which the Holy One, praised be He! will remark: 'It is foolish of you to state that all you have done was for the sake of Israel, while in reality it was but for yourselves. The construction of markets was for the purpose of prostitution. The establishment of bath-houses was for your own pleasure, and as to gold and silver, it is mine, as the passage says (Hag. 2, 8) Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold. But, are there, then, among ye those who have studied the Law?' They will go out in despair. After Rome has departed, Persia will enter, because she is considered second to Rome. Whence do we know this? From the following passage (Dan. 7, 5) And behold, another beast, a second, like to a bear. To which R. Joseph taught: 'Thereby the Persians are meant, the people who eat and drink like bears, are overgrown with hair and are fleshy like bears, and have no rest, like bears.' The Holy One, praised be He! will ask them: 'What was your occupation?' To which they will answer: 'Sovereign of the Universe! we have built and constructed many bridges, conquered many great cities, we were engaged in many wars, all for the sake of Israel to enable them to study the Torah.' Thereupon the Holy One, praised be He! will say to them: 'Ye foolish people, all that was done by you was done for your own sake. Bridges, for the collection of duties. Great cities, to establish forced labor. And as to wars, I have conducted them, as it is said (Ex. 15, 3) The Lord is a man of war. But are there among ye those who have studied this (the Torah)?' Immediately thereupon they also will leave in despair." But why did Persia enter after seeing that Rome was disappointed? They thought: "We have more chance than Rome, as the latter has destroyed the holy Temple, while we have rebuilt it."

"The same will happen with all the other nations." Why did he enumerate the two and not the rest of the nations? Because the reign of these two lasted until the Messianic age. But why should the other nations enter after seeing the disappointment of the first two? Because they will think: "The first two enslaved Israel, but we did not enslave them." "Finally they will say before Him: 'Sovereign of the Universe! Didst Thou then give us the Torah and we did not accept it?' But how could they say so? Is it not written (Deut. 33, 2) The Lord came from Sinai, and rose from Sair unto them: He shined forth from Mount Paran. And again there is a passage (Habak. 3, 3) God cometh from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. And to the question, What has the Lord to do in Sair and Paran, R. Jochanan said: "From this it may be inferred that the Holy One, praised be He! has presented His Torah to every nation, but it was not accepted until He came to Israel [hence their claim]." Therefore, we must say that they will say to Him: "Have we then accepted the Torah, and not fulfilled its commandments?" But what answer is this? Could they not be accused because they have not accepted? We must therefore say that they will plead thus: "Sovereign of the Universe! Hast Thou then arched the mountain over us as Thou didst over the children of Israel; for the passage says (Ex. 19, 17) And they stood at the foot of the mountain, upon which R. Dimi b. Chasa of Chihah remarked: "From this we may infer that the Holy One, praised be He! arched the mountain over them like a tank and said to them: 'If you accept the Torah then it is well, but if not, there shall be your graves.' Finally, the answer will come, (Is. 43, 9) And announces to us former things, i.e., the Holy One, praised be He! will say to them: 'The seven commandmenst which were given to you, have ye observed them?' And whence do we know that they have not? From that which R. Joseph taught: "What is the meaning of the passage (Hab. 3, 6) He standeth and shaketh the earth; He beholdeth and maketh the nations to tremble. What did He behold? He beheld that the seven commandments accepted by the descendants of Noah, were not observed. And therefore He absolved the nations of them." Should they then have profited [by their disobedience]? Said Mar b. Rabbina: (Fol. 3) "It means that even should they fulfill them, they shall not be rewarded."

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