לַיְּהוּדִ֕ים הָֽיְתָ֥ה אוֹרָ֖ה וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה וְשָׂשֹׂ֖ן וִיקָֽר׃
У евреев был свет и радость, а также радость и честь.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
(Esth. 8, 16) For the Jews there was light, and joy and gladness and honor. R. Elazar, in the name of R. Juda, said: "Light, refers to the Torah, and so says the passage (Prov. 6, 23) For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Joy, refers to a holiday, and so says the passage (Deut. 16, 14) And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast; gladness, refers to circumcision, and so says the passage (Ps. 119, 162) I am rejoiced over thy promise; honor, refers to Tephilin, and so says the passage (Deut. 28, 16) And all the nations of the earth shall see that thou are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall he afraid of thee. And we are taught in a Baraitha: R. Eliezer the Great said: 'This refers to the Tephilin on the head.' "
Devarim Rabbah
“The Lord will disperse you among the peoples, and you will remain few in number among the nations where the Lord will lead you” (Deuteronomy 4:27).
“When you are in distress, and all these matters befall you in the end of days, you will return to the Lord your God, and you will heed His voice” (Deuteronomy 4:30).
The Rabbis said: May the name of the Holy One blessed be He be blessed, as He knows what was and what is destined to be, as it is written: “Telling the outcome from the outset…” (Isaiah 46:10). How so? In this portion, Moses showed Israel how they are destined to be exiled if they sin, and how they repent, and how they are redeemed. How are they destined to [be exiled if they] sin? As it is written: “You will perform evil in the eyes of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 4:25), and then: “The Lord will disperse you among the peoples.” And then, “when you are in distress, [and all these matters] befall you…[you will return to the Lord your God]. What is, “when you are in distress”? Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Akiva: Any distress that is experienced by an individual is distress, and any distress that is not experienced by an individual is not distress.45If the entire public is in distress, God will not allow the distress to continue for too long. This is based on the fact that the verse states “when you [lekha] are in distress” with the singular term lekha rather than the plural lakhem.
Another matter: “When you are in distress” – Rabbi Yoḥanan himself said: Any distress in which Israel and the idolaters are partners is distress, and any distress that is of Israel themselves is not distress. Rabbi Yoḥanan expounded: Like their distress in Shushan the citadel, which was confined to Israel, as it is stated: “Great mourning for the Jews” (Esther 4:3). The Holy One blessed be He immediately caused their salvation to develop. From where is this derived? “For the Jews there was light and joy” (Esther 8:16).
“When you are in distress, and all these matters befall you in the end of days, you will return to the Lord your God, and you will heed His voice” (Deuteronomy 4:30).
The Rabbis said: May the name of the Holy One blessed be He be blessed, as He knows what was and what is destined to be, as it is written: “Telling the outcome from the outset…” (Isaiah 46:10). How so? In this portion, Moses showed Israel how they are destined to be exiled if they sin, and how they repent, and how they are redeemed. How are they destined to [be exiled if they] sin? As it is written: “You will perform evil in the eyes of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 4:25), and then: “The Lord will disperse you among the peoples.” And then, “when you are in distress, [and all these matters] befall you…[you will return to the Lord your God]. What is, “when you are in distress”? Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Akiva: Any distress that is experienced by an individual is distress, and any distress that is not experienced by an individual is not distress.45If the entire public is in distress, God will not allow the distress to continue for too long. This is based on the fact that the verse states “when you [lekha] are in distress” with the singular term lekha rather than the plural lakhem.
Another matter: “When you are in distress” – Rabbi Yoḥanan himself said: Any distress in which Israel and the idolaters are partners is distress, and any distress that is of Israel themselves is not distress. Rabbi Yoḥanan expounded: Like their distress in Shushan the citadel, which was confined to Israel, as it is stated: “Great mourning for the Jews” (Esther 4:3). The Holy One blessed be He immediately caused their salvation to develop. From where is this derived? “For the Jews there was light and joy” (Esther 8:16).
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“Who is she who appears like dawn, fair like the moon, pure like the sun, formidable like banners?” (Song of Songs 6:10)
“Who is she who appears like dawn?” There was an incident in which Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta were walking in the Arbel Valley in the early morning and they saw the light of dawn breaking. Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great said to Rabbi Shimon bar Ḥalafta: So will the redemption of Israel burst forth, as it is written: “Though I sit in darkness, the Lord is a light for me” (Micah 7:8). Initially it will come little by little, then it will sparkle, then it will increase, and then it will continuously spread. So too, initially, “In those days, Mordekhai was sitting at the king’s gate” (Esther 2:21), then, “Mordekhai emerged from before the king in royal garments” (Esther 8:15), and then: “For the Jews there was light and joy…” (Esther 8:16).
“Like dawn,” if so, just as the dawn has no shade, could it be, perhaps, that the same is true of Israel?34Is it true that they have no protection? The verse states: “Fair like the moon.” If so, just as the light of the moon is not clear, perhaps the same is true of Israel? The verse states: “Pure like the sun,” that is what is written: “Let those who love Him be like the powerfully rising sun” (Judges 5:31). If so, just as the sun beats down, is the same, perhaps, true of Israel? The verse states: “Fair like the moon,” that is what is written: “How precious is Your kindness, God” (Psalms 36:8). If so, just as the moon is at times deficient and at times full, is the same, perhaps, true of Israel? The verse states: “Pure like the sun.” If so, just as the sun serves by day and does not serve by night, is the same, perhaps, true of Israel? The verse states: “Fair like the moon,” just as the moon serves by day and by night, as it is written in its regard: “To rule by day and by night” (Genesis 1:18), so too Israel, they are in this world and they are in the World to Come. If so, just as the sun and the moon do not induce fear, is the same, perhaps, true of Israel? The verse states: “Formidable like banners,” like the banners On High, like Mikhael and his banner, Gavriel and his banner. From where is it derived that they induce fear? As it is stated: “They had backs, and they were tall, and they were fearsome” (Ezekiel 1:18).
Rabbi Yehoshua said: It is like the fear of those below, e.g., dukes, governors, and generals. From where is it derived that they induce fear? It is as it is stated: “Fearsome, terrifying, and strong” (Daniel 7:7). Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Huna, Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili and Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i: “Like banners [kidgalim],” is not written here, but rather kanidgalot,35 Degalim, in the masculine, would be perceived as an allusion to angels or leaders. Nidgalot, in the feminine, is an allusion to the exile [galut]. like the generation that was sliding toward exile. Which is this? This is the generation of Hezekiah, as it is stated: “A day of distress and rebuke” (Isaiah 37:3). From where is it derived that they induced fear? It is as it is stated: “He was thereafter exalted in the eyes of all the nations” (II Chronicles 32:23).
Rabbi Huna [said] in the name of Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i: “Like banners [kidgalim]” is not written here, but rather kanidgalot, like the generation that would slide toward exile, but would not be exiled. Which is this? This is the generation of the messianic king. That is what is written: “I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem for the war” (Zechariah 14:2). From where is it derived that [the messianic king] will induce fear? As it is stated: “He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth” (Isaiah 11:4). Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Yirmeya: At that time, Israel will be moving from journey to journey.
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin says: The congregation of Israel said: ‘The Holy One blessed be He brought me to a wine cellar, this is Sinai; Mikhael and his banner and Gavriel and his banner were there.’ It said: ‘If only we could travel like the supernal array.’ At that time, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Since My children desire to be like the banners, they shall encamp by banners,’ as it is stated: “Each at his banner with the insignias by their patrilineal houses, the children of Israel shall encamp” (Numbers 2:2).
“Who is she who appears like dawn?” There was an incident in which Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta were walking in the Arbel Valley in the early morning and they saw the light of dawn breaking. Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great said to Rabbi Shimon bar Ḥalafta: So will the redemption of Israel burst forth, as it is written: “Though I sit in darkness, the Lord is a light for me” (Micah 7:8). Initially it will come little by little, then it will sparkle, then it will increase, and then it will continuously spread. So too, initially, “In those days, Mordekhai was sitting at the king’s gate” (Esther 2:21), then, “Mordekhai emerged from before the king in royal garments” (Esther 8:15), and then: “For the Jews there was light and joy…” (Esther 8:16).
“Like dawn,” if so, just as the dawn has no shade, could it be, perhaps, that the same is true of Israel?34Is it true that they have no protection? The verse states: “Fair like the moon.” If so, just as the light of the moon is not clear, perhaps the same is true of Israel? The verse states: “Pure like the sun,” that is what is written: “Let those who love Him be like the powerfully rising sun” (Judges 5:31). If so, just as the sun beats down, is the same, perhaps, true of Israel? The verse states: “Fair like the moon,” that is what is written: “How precious is Your kindness, God” (Psalms 36:8). If so, just as the moon is at times deficient and at times full, is the same, perhaps, true of Israel? The verse states: “Pure like the sun.” If so, just as the sun serves by day and does not serve by night, is the same, perhaps, true of Israel? The verse states: “Fair like the moon,” just as the moon serves by day and by night, as it is written in its regard: “To rule by day and by night” (Genesis 1:18), so too Israel, they are in this world and they are in the World to Come. If so, just as the sun and the moon do not induce fear, is the same, perhaps, true of Israel? The verse states: “Formidable like banners,” like the banners On High, like Mikhael and his banner, Gavriel and his banner. From where is it derived that they induce fear? As it is stated: “They had backs, and they were tall, and they were fearsome” (Ezekiel 1:18).
Rabbi Yehoshua said: It is like the fear of those below, e.g., dukes, governors, and generals. From where is it derived that they induce fear? It is as it is stated: “Fearsome, terrifying, and strong” (Daniel 7:7). Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Huna, Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili and Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i: “Like banners [kidgalim],” is not written here, but rather kanidgalot,35 Degalim, in the masculine, would be perceived as an allusion to angels or leaders. Nidgalot, in the feminine, is an allusion to the exile [galut]. like the generation that was sliding toward exile. Which is this? This is the generation of Hezekiah, as it is stated: “A day of distress and rebuke” (Isaiah 37:3). From where is it derived that they induced fear? It is as it is stated: “He was thereafter exalted in the eyes of all the nations” (II Chronicles 32:23).
Rabbi Huna [said] in the name of Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i: “Like banners [kidgalim]” is not written here, but rather kanidgalot, like the generation that would slide toward exile, but would not be exiled. Which is this? This is the generation of the messianic king. That is what is written: “I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem for the war” (Zechariah 14:2). From where is it derived that [the messianic king] will induce fear? As it is stated: “He will strike the world with the rod of his mouth” (Isaiah 11:4). Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Yirmeya: At that time, Israel will be moving from journey to journey.
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin says: The congregation of Israel said: ‘The Holy One blessed be He brought me to a wine cellar, this is Sinai; Mikhael and his banner and Gavriel and his banner were there.’ It said: ‘If only we could travel like the supernal array.’ At that time, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Since My children desire to be like the banners, they shall encamp by banners,’ as it is stated: “Each at his banner with the insignias by their patrilineal houses, the children of Israel shall encamp” (Numbers 2:2).