Мидраш к Йехезкэля 1:1

"This is my G d and I will extol Him": R. Eliezer says: Whence is it derived that a maid-servant beheld at the Red Sea what was not beheld by Ezekiel and the other prophets, of whom it is written (Hoshea 12:11) "And to the prophets I appeared (in various) guises," and (Ezekiel 1:1) "The heavens opened and I saw visions of G d"? An analogy: A king of flesh and blood comes to a province, a circle of guards around him, warriors at his right and at his left, armies before him and behind him — and all asking "Who is the king?" For he is flesh and blood as they are. But when the Holy One was revealed at the sea, there was no need for anyone to ask "Who is the King?" For when they saw Him, they knew Him, and they all opened and said "This is my G d, and I will extol Him ("ve'anvehu," lit.: "I will 'host' Him")!" R. Yishmael says: Is it possible to "host" one's Master? Rather, (read "ve'anvehu" as) "I shall beautify myself (from the root "na'eh") before Him with mitzvoth — with a beautiful lulav, beautiful tzitzith, a beautiful shofar, beautiful prayer. Abba Shaul says: "I will liken myself to Him" (i.e., "ve'anvehu" = ani vehu ["I and He"]) Just as He is merciful and gracious, you, too, be merciful and gracious. R. Yossi Haglili says; "Beautify and praise the Holy One Blessed be He before all the peoples of the world." R. Yossi b. Dormaskith says: "I shall make a Temple before Him," "navth" being the Temple, as in (Psalms 79:7) "and they have destroyed navehu" (His Temple)", and (Isaiah 33:20) "But you will regard (with deference) Zion, the city of our assemblies. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, the peaceful habitation" (neveh sha'anan). R. Akiva says: "I shall speak of His beauty" — of the praise of the Holy One Blessed be He, who spoke and brought the world into being. The peoples of the world ask Israel (Song of Songs 5:9) "How is your Beloved (different) from the beloved (of all the other nations) that you have thus besworn us? (see Ibid. 8) that you thus die for Him and are thus murdered for Him, viz. (Ibid. 1:3) "alamoth have loved You" — they have loved You "al maveth" ("above death"), and (Psalms 44:23) "for over You we are slain all the day"? You are comely, you are strong. Come and join us. And Israel says to them: Do you know Him? Let us tell you part of His praise (Song of Songs 5:10) "My Beloved is white and ruddy, distinguished among legions." When they hear this, they say to Israel: Let us go with you, viz. (Ibid. 6:1) "Where did your Beloved go, you loveliest among the women? Whither has your Beloved turned? Let us seek Him with you." And Israel says to them (Ibid. 2:16) "My Beloved is mine, and I am His," and (Ibid. 6:3) "I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine, who grazes His flock among the lilies." And the sages say (on "ve'anvehu"): "I shall accompany Him ("alavenhu") until I come with Him to His Temple. An analogy: A king's son goes abroad — he goes after him and attends upon him. He goes to a different city — he goes after him and attends upon him. Thus with Israel. When they went down to Egypt, the Shechinah was with them, viz. (Genesis 46:4) "I shall go down with you to Egypt." When they went up, the Shechinah went up with them, viz. (Ibid.) "and I shall also bring you up." When they went down to the sea, the Shechinah was with them, viz. (Exodus 14:19) "And the angel of G d, who went before the camp of Israel, etc." When they went out to the desert, the Shechinah was with them, viz. (Ibid. 13:21) "And the L rd went before them by day, etc." — until they brought Him with them to His holy Temple, viz. (Song of Songs 3: "I had almost passed them (Moses and Aaron) by, when I found Him whom my soul loved. I held onto Him and did not let go of Him until I had brought Him to the house of my mother and the chamber of my conception." "my G d" (Keli): With me He manifested the attribute of mercy, and with my fathers, the attribute of justice. And whence is it derived that "keli" connotes the attribute of mercy? From (Psalms 22:2) "Keli, Keli, why have You forsaken me?" and (Numbers 12:13) "Kel, I pray You, heal her, I pray You," and (Psalms 118:27) "The L rd is 'Kel,' and He has lighted (the way) for us." And whence is it derived that "Elokim" (as in [Exodus, Ibid] "the G d ['Elokei'] of my father") connotes justice? From (Devarim 1:17) "For the judgment is to 'Elokim.'" "the G d of my father, and I will exalt Him": I am a queen, the daughter of kings; a beloved one, the daughter of beloved ones; a holy one, the daughter of holy ones; a pure one, the daughter of pure ones. An analogy: A man goes to betroth a woman. Sometimes he is embarrassed in her; sometimes, in her kin. But I am not so, but a queen, the daughter of kings, etc. R. Shimon b. Elazar says: When Israel do the will of the L rd, His name is exalted in the world, as it is written (Joshua 5:1) "And it was, when all the kings of the Emori heard, etc." And thus did Rachav say to Joshuah's emissaries, (Ibid. 2:10) "for we heard how the L rd dried up, etc.", and (Ibid. 17) "and we heard and our hearts melted, and no man's spirit endured within him before you. For the L rd, He is G d in the heavens above, etc." And when they do not do His will, His name, as it were, is demeaned in the world, viz. (Ezekiel 36:20) "And they came to the nations … and they profaned My holy name when it was said of them: These are the peoples of the L rd, and from His land did they go forth …" and (Ibid. 23) "And I shall sanctify My great name which has been profaned among the nations, etc." "the G d of my father, and I will exalt Him": The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One Blessed be He: L rd of the world, it is not for the miracles that You performed with Me that I chant song before You, but for the miracles that You performed with my fathers and with me in all of the generations — thus: "This is my G d and I will extol Him; the G d of my father, and I will exalt Him."

Why did He speak to the prophets outside the land of Israel? Because of the merit of the patriarchs, as it is stated: A voice is heard in Ramah (Jer. 31:15). And after that it is written: Thus saith the Lord: “Refrain thy voice from weeping” (ibid., v. 16). Even outside the land (however), He spoke to the prophets only in places that were ritually clean, as in the case of Daniel: As I was by the side of the great river, which is Tigris (Dan. 10:4), and also: And I was by the stream Ulai (ibid. 8:3).⁶The rivers offered the opportunity to obtain ritual cleanliness. Ezekiel said to Him: As I was among the captives by the river Chebar (Ezek. 1:1). This was the Tigris. When did He speak to him? Outside the land only after he had previously spoken to him in the land, as it is said: Rise, go forth into the plain, and I will there speak with thee (ibid. 3:22).

And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron: “This is the ordinance of the passover” (Exod. 12:43). There are chapters of the Torah in which a general statement is made at the beginning of the chapter, and a particular statement is made at its end. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests (Exod. 19:6) is a particular statement, while the verse These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel (ibid.) is a general statement. This is the statue of the law (Num. 19:2) is a general statement, while the verse That they bring thee a red heifer (ibid.) is a particular statement. This is the ordinance of the Passover (Exod. 12:43) is a general statement, whereas There shall no alien eat thereof (ibid.) is a particular statement. Whenever a general statement is followed by a particular one, the general statement does not include more than is contained in the particular.¹⁰The fourth of the thirteen rules of interpretation developed by R. Ishmael. This is the ordinance of the Passover. This passage deals with the Passover in Egypt. How then do we know about Passover in subsequent generations? Scripture informs us of this in the verse According to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof, shall ye keep it (Num. 9:3). There shall no alien eat thereof (Exod. 12:43) alludes also to a renegade Jew and a Gentile. Every man’s servant that is bought for money (ibid., v. 44). (The verse states:) Every man’s servant. Does this mean that the servant of a woman or of a child is excluded? Scripture says: That is bought for money, which implies (every servant that was purchased).

... Teach us o teacher: toward where should one who prays orient his heart? This is what our Rabbis taught: one should orient his heart toward the place of the Holy of Holies (Berachot 4:5). R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov says: if one is praying outside of the land, he should orient his heart to the land of Israel. If one is praying within the land of Israel, he should orient his heart to Jerusalem. If one is praying in Jerusalem, he should orient his heart to the Holy Temple. If one is praying in the Holy Temple, he should orient his heart to the Holy of Holies. R’ Avin the Levi said: “our neck is like the Tower of David, built as a model (talpiyot)…” (Song of Songs 4:4) What does talpiyot mean? The hill (tel) toward which all turns (peniyot) are directed. And after all this praise, it is written “Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume your cedars.” (Zechariah 11:1) And so too they said “He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) Israel said to Him: Master of the World! How long will it be like this? Did You not write in Your Torah “…the one who ignited the fire shall surely pay” (Exodus 22:5)? And You are the one who ignited the fire, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) You need to rebuild it and to console us, not at the hands of an angel but You in Your glory. The Holy One said to them: by your life, so I will do! As it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) And I am the one who consoles you. From where do we learn this? From that which they read in the prophets “I, yea I am He Who consoles you…” (Isaiah 51:12)

“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.