Midrash sobre Juízes 4:3

Another interpretation (of Lev. 6:2), “Command Aaron.” What is the function of Aaron here? Israel was bringing offerings whereas Aaron is mentioned, and Scripture says here, “Command Aaron.” But note, it is written (in Numb. 28:2), “Command the Children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘My offering, My bread,’” but here it says (in Lev. 6:2), “Command Aaron […], ‘This is the Torah of the one who ascends (h'lh).’”⁴The masoretic text vocalizes this word as ha’olah, which means, THE BURNT OFFERING, but the midrash interprets the word as though it were vocalized ha’oleh, which means, “The one who ascends,” with the ascending implying self-exaltation. So also Lev. R. 7:6. The Holy One, blessed be He, said (to warn Aaron and his sons), “Whenever someone raises (rt.: 'lh) himself up, his end is to go in the fire.”⁵M.Ps. 11:5. It is so stated (in Lev. 6:2, cont.), “that is the one which ascends upon the burning place.” The generation of the flood [suffered] because of what they said (in Job 21:15), “What is the Omnipresent that we should serve Him?” For that reason they were sentenced to the fire (of Gehinnom), as stated (Job 6:17), “at the time that they were heated, they were burnt in His heat,” and it is written (Job 22:20), “and the fire consumed their remnant.” And likewise the Sodomites, [as stated] (in Gen. 19:24), “Then the Lord rained down upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire.” When Pharaoh said (in Exod. 5:2), “Who is the Lord, [that I should heed His voice],” he exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in Ezek. 29:3), “my Nile is my own and I made it myself.” [He is] therefore (in the words of Lev. 6:2) “upon the burning place.” For so it says (in Ps. 18:14), “The Lord thundered in the heavens,” (Ps. 18:13), "From the illumination in front of Him, His clouds were pierced by hail and coals of fire.” And also when Sennacherib exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in II Kings 19:23 = Is. 37:24), “it is I who have ascended (rt.: 'lh) the mountain heights to the remotest parts of Lebanon.” And what happened to him? (II Kings 19:35:) “The angel of the Lord went out and smote [one hundred and eighty-thousand] in the camp of Assyria.” He had blasphemed (according to II Kings 19:23: cf. 18:17–35) through a messenger (mal'akh);⁶The parallel in Is. 37:24 reads “servant” instead of “messenger.” therefore (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21) “the angel (mal'akh) of the Lord went out and smote.” What did he do to him? (Is. 10:16), “And under his glory there shall burn a burning like the burning of fire.” What is the meaning of “under his glory?” That it burned them from within and left alone their clothes on the outside, since a person's glory is his garment.⁷Cf. Sanh. 94a. And why did the Holy One, blessed be He, leave their clothes behind? Because they were descendants of Shem, as stated (in Gen. 10:22), “The sons of Shem are Elam, Asshur (Assyria)….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I am indebted to their father Shem, because he took the garment and covered his father's nakedness, as stated (in Gen. 9:23), “Then Shem and Japheth took the garment… [and they covered their father's nakedness].”⁸Cf. Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:21, which interprets the verse to show that Shem took the lead in this act. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, left their clothes alone and burned [only] their body. This is as it is written (Lev. 6:2), “that (i.e. the person who exalts himself) is the one which ascends (ha'oleh) upon the burning place.” And so too Nebuchadnezzar exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in Is. 14:14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud; I will become like the Most High (rt.: 'lh).” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Upon your life, was it not enough that you said in your heart (in vs. 13), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) to the heavens; above the stars of God I will set my throne,” but that you should say (in vs. 14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud, I will become like the Most High (rt.: 'lh)?” And so he (i.e., Nebuchadnezzar) said to Hananiah and his friends (in Dan. 3:15), “’Now who is the God who shall deliver you out of my hand?’ I have burned His house and exiled His people. He did not stand against me in His house; so will He overcome me in my house?” What did he do? He threw them into the fiery furnace. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He gave a sign to the furnace and it became a highway.⁹PLTYA, from the Gk.: plateia. Buber suggests emending to PLNTYH, from the Gk.: planetes, i.e., “planets.” Whoever was designated to be burned was not burned and whoever was not designated to be burned was burned. So the fire went forth and burned half of the peoples. Thus you find, when they assembled for the dedication of the image, at first there were eight peoples, as stated (in Dan. 3:3), “Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the provincial officials assembled.” That makes eight peoples; but when they came in to see Hananiah and his friends, there were only four peoples written there (in vs. 27), “The satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the royal companions assembled.” So where were [the other] four peoples?] It is simply that (in vs. 22) “the flame of the fire slew them.” Now Nebuchadnezzar also was burned by the fire, and the fright (i.e., repulsiveness) of [a body disfigured by] burning was put upon him.¹⁰For this interpretation, Jastrow, s.v., ‘immus. Why was all of him not burned? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Leave this evil man half of himself so that he may know against Whom he blasphemed.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “O wicked one, did you not say, ‘I do not want to live with the children of Adam, but (in Is. 14:14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud?”’ By your life, (according to Dan. 4:22) ‘You shall be driven away from humans and your domicile will be with the wild animals outside.’” Just as He brought the plagues upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt, so did He bring [punishment] upon Nebuchadnezzar. It is so stated (in Dan. 3:32), “The signs and wonders which the most high God has worked for me [it seemed good to me to make known].” This fright of [a body disfigured by] burning fell upon him. Therefore it is stated (in Lev. 6:2), “that is the one which ascends (h'lh) upon the burning place.” (Lev. 6.2) “That is the one which ascends upon the burning place.” This is the kingdom of Edom (Rome), which exalted (rt.: 'lh) itself, as stated (in Obad. 1:4), “Though you make [your abode] as high as the eagle, and though [your nest is set] among the stars,” and will be judged by fire, as stated (in Dan. 7:11), “I looked on until the beast was slain and its body destroyed, given over for burning in the fire.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Obad. 1:18), “The House of Jacob shall be fire, and the House of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall be straw; [… for the Lord has spoken].” And what did he say? Through Moses (in Lev. 6:2), “that is the one which ascends (ha'olah, rt.: 'lh) upon the burning place.” Then after that [Scripture says] (in Obad. 1:21), “Then saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mountain of Esau.” Sisera also [was punished by fire] because he blasphemed. Thus it is written about him (in Jud. 4:3), “and he oppressed the Children of Israel with might,” [i.e.] with blasphemies and invectives.¹¹See M. Ps. 2:1, which derives this interpretation of WITH MIGHT (rt.: HZQ) from Mal. 3:13: YOUR WORDS HAVE BEEN MIGHTY (rt.: HZQ) AGAINST ME. See also below, 9:7. He was therefore punished by fire, as stated (in Jud. 5:20), “The stars fought from the heavens; from their courses they fought with Sisera.”¹²See Pes. 118b, according to which the stars descended and heated the iron implements in Sisera’s army. And in the world to come, when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to exact retribution from Esau, what [will] Esau do? Wrapped in a prayer shawl like an elder, he comes and takes his seat beside Jacob. It is so stated, (in Obad. 1:4), “and though your nest is set among the stars.” Stars can only mean Israel, since it is stated (in Gen. 15:5), “look toward the heavens and count the stars …; so shall your seed be.” Jacob says to him, “My brother ('hy), you shall not be like me.” Thus it is stated (in Hos. 13:14), “my brother ('hy),¹³The unemended reading below, given in braces, shows that the midrash is reading the he in ‘HY as a het, so that the WHERE of the Masoretic Text cited here is to be interpreted as MY BROTHER. your words¹⁴Devarekha. YOUR WORDS is the translation required by the midrash. In the biblical context devarekha should be rendered, YOUR PLAGUES. are death; my brother ('hy), your descent (qtb) is to Sheol.”¹⁵A traditional translation of the line would read: WHERE IS YOUR PESTILENCE, O SHEOL? Your words are decrees which you decreed over me. You decreed two-edged decrees against me, that I should serve idols. If I had done so, I would have been condemned to death at the hands of Heaven; and if I had not served them, you would have killed me. Ergo (in Hos. 13:14), “my brother, your words are death.” (Ibid., cont.) “My brother ('hy), your descent (qtb) is to Sheol.” [Qtb] is a Hellenistic¹⁶From the Gk. adverb: Hellenisti. word, meaning to descend to Sheol.¹⁷Thus QTB is understood as coming from the Greek, kataba, an aorist imperative meaning, “descend.” When Esau descends to Sheol, Jacob will remain by himself. It is therefore stated (in Zech. 13:8), “And it shall come to pass throughout all the land, says the Lord, that two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall remain in it.” Now the one-third can only be Israel, since it is stated (in Is. 19:24), “Israel shall be a third.” So Israel – because they made themselves despised and lowly, as stated (Malachi 2:9), “And I also made you despised and lowly” – are avenged and redeemed by fire; as stated (in Zech. 2:9), “And I Myself, says the Lord, will be a wall of fire around it (i.e., around Jerusalem).” When Esau departs from the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel remain, as stated (in Cant. 6:9), “[Only] one is my dove, my perfect one.” It also says (in Deut. 32:12), “The Lord alone did lead him, and there was no foreign God with Him.”

“For the dream comes with much concern; and a fool's voice with many words” (Ecclesiastes 5:2).
“For the dream comes with much concern” – all the pain and suffering that the Holy One blessed be He brought upon the generation of the Flood were due to the many evil concerns in which they engaged. “And a fool’s voice with many words” – due to the many words that they expressed from their mouths, and said: “What is the Almighty that we should serve Him…” (Job 21:15).
Another matter: “For the dream comes with much concern” – all the pain and suffering that the Holy One blessed be He brought upon the generation of the Dispersion were due to the many evil concerns in which they engaged. “And a fool’s voice with many words” – as they said: “And we will make a name for ourselves…” (Genesis 11:4).
Another matter: “For the dream comes with much concern” – all the pain and suffering that the Holy One blessed be He brought upon the Sodomites were due to the many evil concerns in which they engaged. “And a fool’s voice with many words” – as they said: Let the convention of passersby be forgotten from among us;¹Let us not allow the welcoming of guests or the performance of kindness to passersby. that is what is written: “And it forgets that a foot may crush it or a beast of the field trample it” (Job 39:15).
Another matter: “For the dream comes with much concern” – all the pain and suffering that the Holy One blessed be He brought upon the Egyptians were due to the many evil concerns in which they engaged. “And a fool’s voice with many words” – as they said: “Who is the Lord that I should heed His voice…” (Exodus 5:2).
Another matter: “For the dream comes with much concern” – all the pain and suffering that the Holy One blessed be He brought upon Sisera were due to the many evil concerns in which he engaged. “And a fool's voice with many words” – as it is stated: “He oppressed the children of Israel…” (Judges 4:3).
Another matter: “For the dream comes with much concern,” all the pain and suffering that the Holy One blessed be He brought upon Sennacherib were due to the many evil concerns in which he engaged. “And a fool's voice with many words” – because he cursed and blasphemed, as it is stated: “Who among the gods of all these lands rescued their land [from my hand, that the Lord will rescue Jerusalem from my hand?”] (Isaiah 36:20).
Another matter: “For the dream comes with much concern” – all the pain and suffering that the Holy One blessed be He brought upon the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were due to the many evil concerns in which they engaged, as it is stated: “They denied the Lord” (Jeremiah 5:12).
Another matter: “For the dream comes with much concern” – all the pain and suffering that the Holy One blessed be He brought upon Nebuchadnezzar were due to the many evil concerns in which he engaged, as it is stated: “Who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” (Daniel 3:15).
Another matter “For the dream comes with much concern” – all the pain and suffering that the Holy One blessed be He brought upon Belshatzar were due to the many evil concerns in which he engaged, as it is written: “They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver…” (Daniel 5:4).
Likewise, you find regarding Pharaoh,²You find a dream that comes with much concern. as it is stated: “It was at the end of two full years [that Pharaoh dreamed]” (Genesis 41:1). Pharaoh said:³This is stated concerning the conclusion of the verse from Ecclesiastes, “and a fool’s voice with many words.” Who watches over whom; is it I over my god or my god over me? Is it not I who watches over my god? That is what is written: “It was at the end of two full years [that Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he was standing over the Nile].”⁴Pharaoh was standing watch over the Nile, his god.
Likewise you find regarding Aḥashverosh; Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: All night, Aḥashverosh was seeing Haman standing over him, with his sword drawn in his hand, removing his royal garment from upon him and his crown from upon his head, and seeking to kill him. He would awaken and say: What is this dream? This is a vision.⁵This is a prophetic vision from Heaven (Etz Yosef). Alternatively, this is but a vision, an inconsequential dream (Maharzu). Until when? Until the morning came. The king said: “Who is in the courtyard?” (Esther 6:4). They said to him: “Behold, it is Haman standing in the courtyard” (Esther 6:5). He said: ‘This is the dream’; “for the dream comes with much concern.” “Haman had come to the outer courtyard of the king’s palace, to say to the king to hang Mordekhai on the gallows that he had prepared for him” (Esther 6:4), [for himself] and for his comrades.⁶The verse could have sufficed with “that he had prepared.” “Him” is an allusion to Haman himself and his sons. [Similarly] it is written: “He prepared weapons of death for himself; his arrows will act against pursuers [ledolekim]” (Psalms 7:14).⁷These evildoers prepared weapons, but they themselves will ultimately be killed by them. What is ledolekim? Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said: These are the wicked who cast fire [delek] upon them. Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanan said: These are those who ignited the fire in the destruction of the Temple. The Rabbis say: These are the pursuers of Israel, as it is written: “On the mountains they pursued us” (Lamentations 4:19).
“Haman said in his heart” (Esther 6:6) – the wicked are under the control of their heart, as it is stated: “Esau said in his heart” (Genesis 27:41), “Yerovam said in his heart” (I Kings 12:26). However, the righteous, their hearts are under their control, as it is written: “Hannah, she was speaking to her heart” (I Samuel 1:13), “David said to his heart” (I Samuel 27:1), “Daniel resolved in his heart” (Daniel 1:8).⁸Literally: Daniel placed upon his heart. They are similar to their Creator, as it is stated: “The Lord said to His heart” (Genesis 8:21).
Rabbi Levi and the Rabbis: Rabbi Levi said: They think evil in their heart, and I think good in My heart.⁹This is stated from the perspective of God. The wicked plan to do evil to the righteous, but I ensure that the righteous will not be harmed. They think evil in their heart, and I judge them regarding their heart, as it is stated: “Their sword will come into their heart” (Psalms 37:15).
“Haman said in his heart” (Esther 6:6) – immediately, Haman responded and said: “Let them bring a royal garment” (Esther 6:8). He said to [Aḥashverosh]: ‘You have many garments, but [have them bring] the “royal garment,” the one that you wore on the day that you were crowned.’ “And a horse upon which the king has ridden” (Esther 6:8) – he said to [Aḥashverosh]: ‘You have many horses, but [have them bring] the horse upon which you rode on the day you were crowned.’ “And on whose head the royal crown was placed” (Esther 6:8) – when [Haman] mentioned the crown to him, his face contorted. [Aḥashverosh] said: ‘His time has come.’ That is what is written: “For the dream comes with much concern; and a fool's voice with many words.”

Sisera also < was punished by fire > because he blasphemed. Thus it is written about him (in Jud. 4:3): AND HE OPPRESSED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WITH MIGHT, < i.e. > with blasphemies and invectives.¹⁶See M. Ps. 2:1, which derives this interpretation of WITH MIGHT (rt.: HZQ) from Mal. 3:13: YOUR WORDS HAVE BEEN MIGHTY (rt.: HZQ) AGAINST ME. See also below, 9:7. He was therefore punished by fire, as stated (in Jud. 5:20): THE STARS FOUGHT FROM THE HEAVENS; FROM THEIR COURSES THEY FOUGHT WITH SISERA.¹⁷See Pes. 118b, according to which the stars descended and heated the iron implements in Sisera’s army. < There is > also < retribution > in the world to come, when the Holy One comes to exact retribution from Esau. What did Esau do to him? Wrapped in a prayer shawl like a lion,¹⁸Cf. the parallel in Tanh., Lev. 2:3, which reads: “Wrapped in a prayer shawl like an elder.” he came and took his seat beside Jacob. It is so stated, (in Obad., vs. 4): AND THOUGH YOUR NEST IS SET AMONG THE STARS. STARS can only mean Israel, since it is stated (in Gen. 15:5): LOOK TOWARD THE HEAVENS AND COUNT THE STARS,…: [SO SHALL YOUR SEED BE.] Jacob says to him: My brother ('HY), you shall not be like me. Thus it is stated (in Hos. 13:14): MY BROTHER ('HY),¹⁹The unemended reading below, given in braces, shows that the midrash is reading the he in ‘HY as a het, so that the WHERE of the Masoretic Text cited here is to be interpreted as MY BROTHER. YOUR WORDS²⁰Devarekha. YOUR WORDS is the translation required by the midrash. In the biblical context devarekha should be rendered, YOUR PLAGUES. ARE DEATH; MY BROTHER ('HY), YOUR DESCENT (QTB) IS TO SHEOL.²¹A traditional translation of the line would read: WHERE IS YOUR PESTILENCE, O SHEOL? {MY BROTHER ('HY), MY BROTHER ('HY).} [WHERE ('HY)? WHERE ('HY)?].²²By emending the het of MY BROTHER to the Masoretic he of WHERE, Buber has obscured some of the meaning of the midrash. < YOUR WORDS > are decrees which you decreed over me. You decreed over me that I should serve idols. If I had done so, I would have been condemned to death at the hands of Heaven; and if I had not served them, you would have killed me. Ergo (in Hos. 13:14): MY BROTHER, YOUR WORDS ARE DEATH. (Ibid., cont.:) MY BROTHER ('HY), YOUR DESCENT (QTB) IS TO SHEOL. < QTB > is a Hellenistic²³From the Gk. adverb: Hellenisti. word.²⁴Thus QTB is understood as coming from the Greek, kataba, an aorist imperative meaning, “descend.” {While Jacob remained, Esau descended to Sheol.} [When Esau descended to Sheol, Jacob remained by himself.] It is therefore stated (in Zech. 13:8): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND, SAYS THE LORD, THAT TWO-THIRDS IN IT [SHALL BE CUT OFF AND DIE, BUT ONE-THIRD SHALL REMAIN IN IT.] Now the one-third can only be Israel, since it is stated (in Is. 19:24): {AND} ISRAEL SHALL BE A THIRD < PARTNER WITH EGYPT AND ASSYRIA, A BLESSING IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH. > So Israel, because they made themselves despised and lowly, was avenged by fire, as stated (in Zech. 2:9 [5]): AND I MYSELF, SAYS THE LORD, WILL BE A WALL OF FIRE AROUND IT (i.e., around Jerusalem), AND I WILL BE A GLORY WITHIN IT. When Esau departed from the world, the Holy One [and Israel remained, as stated (in Cant. 6:9): < ONLY > ONE IS MY DOVE, MY PERFECT ONE. It also says:] {It says:} (in Deut. 32:12): THE LORD ALONE DID LEAD HIM, AND THERE WAS NO FOREIGN GOD WITH HIM.

“The young woman who will please the king will reign in place of Vashti. The proposal pleased the king and he did so” (Esther 2:4).
“The young woman who will please the king” – who is fitting for this thing? ¹⁵Fit to raise the woman who would be chosen as queen. Mordekhai – “there was a Jewish man in the Shushan citadel, and his name was Mordekhai” (Esther 2:5).¹⁶This is the immediately following verse. This and the subsequent passages are all cases where the midrash addresses the juxtaposition of two verses. It asks about the first verse: who is fitting for this thing? It then finds the answer in the next verse.
Similarly, “God saw the children of Israel and God knew” (Exodus 2:25). Who is fitting for this matter? Moses – “And Moses was herding” (Exodus 3:1).
Similarly, “Samuel said to the men of Israel: Go, each man to his city” (I Samuel 8:22). Who is fitting for this thing [to be appointed king]? Saul, as it is stated: “There was a man of Benjamin, and his name was Kish…[and he had a son and his name was Saul…]” (I Samuel 9:1–2).
Similarly, “Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, and they were dismayed and were greatly afraid.” (I Samuel 17:11). Who is fitting for this thing [fighting Goliath]? David – “David was the son of that Efrati [from Bethlehem]” (I Samuel 17:12).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Aviram said two things. It is written: “He [Yavin king of Canaan] oppressed the children of Israel strongly [beḥozka] for twenty years” (Judges 4:3). What is beḥozka? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: With cursing and blaspheming. That is what is written: “Your words have been harsh against Me” (Malachi 3:13). Who is fitting for this thing? Deborah, as it is written: “Deborah was a prophetess, wife of Lapidot” (Judges 4:4).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Aviram said another: “The people, the princes of Gilad, said one to another: Who is the man who will begin to wage war against the children of Amon? He will be the head of all the inhabitants of Gilad” (Judges 10:18). Who is fitting for this thing? Yiftaḥ – “Yiftaḥ the Giladite was a mighty warrior” (Judges 11:1).

And since the great Hallel, [which is the more important] is recited, why must we [on happy occasions] recite also the [ordinary] Hallel? Because it contains the following five things: The exodus from Egypt, the splitting of the Red Sea, the giving of the Torah to Israel, the resurrection of the dead, and the sufferings of the Messianic period. It contains the exodus from Egypt, as it is written (Ps. 114, 1) When Israel went forth out of Egypt; the splitting of the Red Sea, as it is written (Ib. ib., 3) The sea beheld it, and fled; the giving of the Torah, as it is written (Ib. ib., 6) Ye mountains, that ye skip like wethers. Ye hills like lambs; the resurrection of the dead, as it is written (Ib. 116, 9) I will walk before the Lord in the land of life; and the suffering during the Messianic period, as it is written (Ib. 115, 1) Not for our sake, O Lord, not for our sake, etc. Upon which R. Jochanan said: "This refers to the subjugation in exile," and, according to others, R. Jochanan said that this refers to the time of the war of Gog and Magog. R. Nachman b. Isaac said: "Because it contains the saving of the righteous souls from Gehenna [it is recited on a holiday], as it is said (Ib. 116, 4) I beseech thee, O Lord, release my soul [from Gehenna]." Hezekiah said: "Because in it is mentioned that the righteous (Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah) were thrown into the fiery furnace and came out alive." Not for our sake, Lord, was said by Chananiah; But unto Thy name give glory, was said by Mishael; iud For the sake of Thy kindness, for the sake of Thy truth, was said by Azariah; but they all said the next passage, Wherefore should the nations say, where now is their God. And when they came out from the furnace, Chananiah said (Ib. 117) Praise God, all ye nations; Mishael said, Praise Him, all ye peoples; and Azariah said, For His mercy is great towards us. And the truth of the Lord endureth forever, was said by all three. And according to some, 'Gabriel said the passage. And the truth of the Lord, etc.; for at the time when Nimrod, the wicked, had cast Abraham, our patriarch, into the fiery furnace, Gabriel said unto the Holy One, praised be He! "Sovereign of the Universe, let me, I pray thee, go down, and cool the furnace, and deliver that righteous one from that fiery furnace." Then the Holy One, praised be He! said unto him: "I am One in my world, and he is one in his. It behooves that He who is one should deliver him who is one." But as the Holy One, praised be He! doth not deprive any creature of reward, He said to Gabriel: "For this, thy good intention, thou wilt be privileged to rescue three of his grand-children"; as R. Simon, of Shiloh, expounded: "At the time when Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked, cast Chenaniah, Mishael and Azariah into the fiery furnace Yurkami, the chief of the hail, said unto the Holy One, praised be He! "Sovereign of the Universe, let me, I pray thee, go down and cool off the fiery furnace, and rescue these righteous men.' Whereupon Gabriel interposed and said: 'The greatness of the Holy One, praised be He! will not be demonstrated in such a way, for thou art the chief of hail, and everybody knows that water quencheth fire; but I, the chief of fire, will go down and cool the flames within (Ib. b) and intensify it without [so as to consume the executioners], and thus will I perform a miracle within a miracle.' Then the Holy One, praised be He! said to him: 'Go down.' Upon which Gabriel said, 'Verily, the truth of the Lord endureth forever.'" R. Nathan said: The verse, Verily the truth of the Lord endureth forever, was said by the fish in the sea, as R. Huna said: "The Israelites of that generation [that went out of Egypt] were wanting in faith [of God] and as Raba, the son of Mari, expounded: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ps. 106, 7) But they rebelled at the sea, even at the Red Sea; nevertheless he helped them for His name's sake. It is intended to teach us that [at the time when God divided the Red Sea and Israel passed through and the Egyptians were drowned] the Israelites rebelled and said: 'Just as we ascend from this side so do the Egyptians ascend from another side.' Whereupon the Holy One, praised be He! said to the angel of the sea: 'Spit them out upon the dry land.' 'Sovereign of the Universe,' the angel of the sea pleaded before Him, 'can there be found a servant to whom his master gave a present and who should later take it back from him?' 'Instead of this I shall give you one and a half,' the Lord said to him. The angel of the sea continued: 'Sovereign of the Universe! is it possible for a servant to summon his master before a court of justice?' 'The river Kishon shall guarantee for it,' was the Lord's reply. Immediately all of them were spit out and thrown upon the dry land. When Israel came to the place they saw them all dead and thus the passage becomes clear (Ex. 14, 30) And Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the shore of the sea. And how was it that the sea got one and a half in return? In connection with the incident of Pharaoh it is written (Gen. 14, 6) Six hundred chosen chariots, with that of Sissera, it is written (Jud. 40) Nine hundred iron chariots. And when Sissera came upon the Israelites with iron chariots, the Holy One, praised be He! sent forth upon them the stars in their paths, as it is written (Ib. 5) From heaven have fought the stars in their paths, etc. As soon as the stars descended upon them, the iron chariots became hot and they went to the river Kishon to cool themselves [where they were consequently drowned]. Then said the Holy One, praised be He! to the river Kishon, 'Go and pay off thy guarantee which thou hast secured to the sea.' Instantly they were swept out by the river Kishon and thrown into the sea, as it is said (Jud. 5, 21) The stream of Kishon swept them away, that ancient stream. What is meant by That ancient stream? The stream that became a surety from olden times. In that moment the fish broke forth and said 'Verily the truth of the Lord endureth forever.' "

“My beloved is mine, and I am his, who herds among the lilies” (Song of Songs 2:16).
“My beloved is mine, and I am his,” He is God for me, and I am a nation for Him. He is God for me, “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2). I am a people and a nation for Him, as it is stated: “Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation” (Isaiah 51:4). He is a father to me, and I am a son to Him. He is a father to me, “For You are our Father” (Isaiah 63:16). I am a son to Him, “My son, My firstborn, Israel” (Exodus 4:22). He is a shepherd to me, “Shepherd of Israel, listen” (Psalms 80:2). I am His flock, “you, My flock, flock of My pasture” (Ezekiel 34:31). He is my guardian, “Behold, the Guardian of Israel does not slumber and does not sleep” (Psalms 121:4). I am His vineyard, as it is stated: “For the house of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 5:7).
He is for me against those who provoke me, and I am for Him against those who anger Him. He is for me against those who provoke me, as He smote the firstborn of Egypt, as it is stated: “I will pass in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12); “it was at midnight and the Lord smote every firstborn” (Exodus 12:29). I am for Him against those who anger Him, as I slaughtered the gods of Egypt, and likewise, “against all the gods of Egypt I will administer punishment” (Exodus 12:12), and I slaughtered them to Him, as it is stated: “Behold, will we slaughter the abomination of Egypt before their eyes, and they will not stone us?” (Exodus 8:22). Likewise, “they shall each take for them a lamb for each patrilineal home” (Exodus 12:3).
He said to me: ‘Let the proportion [hamazeg] not be skewed,’ as it is stated: “Your navel is a moon-shaped goblet, may it not lack mixed wine [hamazeg]” (Song of Songs 7:3). I said to Him: ‘You are my good beloved, if only Your goodness will never be lacking from me,’ just as it says: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I will not lack” (Psalms 23:1).
Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Ilai said: He sang to me and I sang to Him; He lauded me and I lauded Him. He called me: “My sister, My love, My faultless dove” (Song of Songs 5:2), and I said to Him: “This is my beloved and this is my companion” (Song of Songs 5:16). He said to me: “Behold you are fair my love” (Song of Songs 4:1), and I said to Him: “Behold, you are fair, my beloved, pleasant too” (Song of Songs 1:16). He said to me: “Happy are you Israel, who is like you?” (Deuteronomy 33:29). I said to Him: “Who is like You among the powers, Lord?” (Exodus 15:11). He said to me: “Who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land” (I Chronicles 17:21). I declare the unity of His name twice daily: “Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). When I require something, I seek it only from His hand, as it is stated: “It was during those many days, that the king of Egypt died; [the children of Israel sighed due to the bondage, and they cried out, and their plea rose to God due to the bondage.] God heard their groaning…God saw the children of Israel” (Exodus 2:23–25). When He requires something, he seeks it only from me and from my hand, as it is stated: “Speak to the entire congregation of Israel, saying: [In the tenth day of this month they shall take for themselves every man a lamb]” (Exodus 12:3). When I require something, I seek it only from His hand, as it is stated: “Pharaoh approached and the children of Israel raised [their eyes and…the Egyptians were traveling after them… the children of Israel cried out to the Lord]” (Exodus 14:10). When He requires something, He seeks it only from me, as it is stated: “Speak to the children of Israel and let them take a gift for Me” (Exodus 25:2). When I had trouble, I sought [salvation] only from Him: “The Children of Israel cried out to the Lord, as he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the Children of Israel forcefully…” (Judges 4:3). What is forcefully? It was with cursing and blaspheming. When He required something, He sought it only from me, as it is stated: “They shall make a sanctuary for Me” (Exodus 25:8).