Мидраш к Ошеа 3:5

Our Rabbis were taught: Whence do we infer that we should mention the Patriarchs [in the prayer of Amida]? It is written (Ps. 29, 1) Ascribe unto the Lord, ye sons of the mighty. And whence do we infer that we should mention [in the Amida the power [of God]? It is written (Ib.) Ascribe unto the Lord glory and strength. And whence do we infer that the K'dusha [His Holiness] must be mentioned? It is written (Ib. 2) Ascribe unto the Lord the glory of His name; bow down to the Lord in the beauty of holiness. And what reason had they for placing the Benediction of Wisdom [fourth] after the Benediction K'dusha? Because it is said (Is. 29, 23) Then will they sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and the God of Israel will they reverence; and immediately follows: They also that were erring in spirit shall acquire understanding. And what reason had they in placing the Benediction concerning Repentance after Wisdom? Because it is written (Is. 6, 10) Lest his heart understand, and he will repent, and be healed. If so, we ought then to mention the section treating with Healing after Repentance [the sixth, instead of the eighth benediction]? This you cannot assume, for it is written (Ib. 55, 7) And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and unto our God, for He will abundantly pardon. The section of Pardon is therefore arranged after Repentance. But why did they desire to rely on this [verse], and not rely on the former? Because there is another passage to the same effect (Ps. 103, 3) Who forgiveth all thy iniquities, who healeth all thy diseased, who redeemeth from the pit thy life. This means to say that both redemption and healing come after forgiveness. But there is a passage (Is. 6, 10) He will repent and be healed? [Hence healing follows repentance]? This healing, however, does not refer to disease, but to forgiveness. And what reason had they in arranging the prayer for Redemption in the seventh Benediction? Said Raba: "Because Israel is destined to be redeemed in the seventh (Sabbatical) year, it was therefore designated in the seventh benediction. But has not the master said that in the sixth [of the Sabbatical years], there will be different rumors, in the seventh year of the Sabbatical years [great] wars will break out, and at the close of the seventh year Mesiah b. David will appear? Hence in the seventh will there be war and not redemption. War will mark the beginning of the redemption. And what reason had they for arranging the prayer for Healing in the eighth Benedictions? "Because," said R. Akiba, "circumcision takes place on the eighth day, and requires healing; it was therefore designated in the seventh Benediction." And what reason had they for arranging the prayer for the Blessing of the Year in the ninth Benediction? "This prayer," said R. Alexandri, "is against those who raise prices, as it is written (Ps. 10, 15), Break Thou the arm of the wicked, etc. And David also said it in the ninth chapter." And what reason had they for arranging the prayer for the Reunion of the Exile after the Benediction of the Blessing [of the harvest] of the Year? Because it is written (Ezek. 36, 8) But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall send forth your boughs, and your fruit shall ye bear for my people Israel; for they are near at hand to come. And as soon as the reunion of the exile will take place, there will be the punishment of the wicked, as it is said (Is. 1, 25) I will turn my hand against thee, and purge away as with lye thy dross. And further (26) it is written: I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning. After the judgment of the wicked there shall no more exist any sinners. This includes the arrogant, as it is said (Ib.) But destruction shall come over transgressors and sinners together. And those that forsake the Lord shall perish, and when sinners will cease to exist, the strength of the righteous is exalted; as it is written (Ps. 75, 11) And all the strength of the wicked will I hew off, but the strength of the righteous shall be exalted. Righteous proselytes are included among the righteous; as it is said (Lev. 19, 32) Before the hoary head shalt thou rise up, and honor the old man. And immediately it follows: If a stranger sojourn with thee, ye shall not vex him. And where will their horn be exalted? In Jerusalem; as it is said (Ps. 122, 6) Pray ye for the peace of Jerusalem; may those that love ye prosper. And as soon as Jerusalem will be rebuilt David will come (Fol. 18) as it is said (Hos. 3, 5) After that will the children of Israel return and seek for the Lord their God and David their king. And together with David will come prayer, as it is said (Is. 57, 7) Even these will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. And as soon as prayer comes, service in the Temple will come with it, as it is said further: Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon My altar. And as soon as service comes, there will come a thanksgiving, as it is said (Ps. 50, 23) Who so offereth thanksgiving glorifieth Me. And what reason had they for placing the Blessing of the Priests after the Benediction of Thanks giving? Because it is written (Lev. 9, 22) And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them, and came down after he had offered the sin-offering and burnt-offering and peace-offering. Why not say that he blessed them before the service? You cannot possibly think so; for it is written: He came down after he had offered — it is not written to offer, but after offering. Then why not say it immediately after the Benediction concerning the [restoration of the Temple] Service? You cannot possibly think so, because it is written: Whoso offereth the thanksgiving (glorifieth Me. And why did they desire to rely on this [verse], and not rely on the former? Because common sense teaches that service and thanksgiving are the same thing. And what reason had they for placing [the Benediction concerning] Peace after the Blessing of Priests? Because it is written (Num. 6, 21) And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel and I will bless them; i.e., the blessing of the Holy One, praised be He! is peace, as it is said (Ps. 29, 11) The Lord will bless His people with peace. [Hence the arrangement of the Amida or Eighteen Benedictions.] Now [let us see], if one hundred and twenty elders, among whom there were many prophets, have arranged the Eighteen Benedictions in accordance with their orders, why was it necessary that Simon of Peculi should rearrange them? They had been forgotten, therefore he reintroduced the order.

The Holy One, blessed be He, declared unto Israel: In this world you fear sins, but in the world-to-come, where there is no evil inclination, you will tremble with joy over the benefactions reserved for you, as is said: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and shall come trembling unto the Lord and to His goodness in the end of days (Hos. 3:5). What is the meaning of His goodness? It refers to the Holy Temple, as it is said: That goodly hill country and the Lebanon (Deut. 3:25). The blessing comes from Zion, as is said: The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion, and thou shalt see the goodness of Jerusalem (Ps. 128:5). Dew is blessed from Zion, as is said: Like the dew of Herman, that cometh down the mountains of Zion (ibid. 133:3). Help comes from Zion, as it is said: Send forth thy help from the sanctuary, and support thee out of Zion (ibid. 20:3). Salvation comes from Zion, as it is said: Oh, that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion (ibid. 14:7). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In the world-to-come I shall bless you out of Zion, as it is said: The Lord blessed thee out of Zion; even He that made heaven and earth (ibid. 134:3). And I shall bless Zion, as is said: The Lord bless thee, O habitation of righteousness, O holy mountain (Jer. 31:22). Amen.

So our father Abraham was still afraid when he had killed the kings.⁹¹Cf. Gen. R. 44:4. He was bewildered and said: Perhaps I have neglected the commandments of the Holy One, which he commanded the children of Noah. (Gen. 9:6:) WHOEVER SHEDS HUMAN BLOOD, < BY A HUMAN WILL HIS BLOOD BE SHED >. Now I have killed all those multitudes.⁹²Gk.: ochlos. The Holy One said to him (in Gen. 15:1): FEAR NOT, ABRAM. Rather I must give you a great reward because you have uprooted thorns. It is so stated (in Is. 33:12): AND THE PEOPLE SHALL BECOME BURNINGS OF LIME; THORNS CUT DOWN THAT ARE BURNED IN THE FIRE. It is therefore stated: FEAR NOT, ABRAM. The Holy One said to Israel: In this world you are anxious over sins, but in the world to come, in which there is no evil drive (yetser hara), you will be anxious over the good that I have ordained for you. Thus it is stated (in Hos. 3:5): {AND} AFTERWARD THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHALL RETURN AND {SERVE} [SEEK] THE LORD THEIR GOD AND DAVID THEIR KING, AND THEY SHALL BE ANXIOUS FOR THE LORD AND FOR HIS GOODNESS (TWV). What is the meaning of HIS GOODNESS? This refers to the Holy Temple, as < the term > is used (in Deut. 3:15): THIS GOOD (TWV) HILL AND LEBANON. Salvation is from Zion, as stated (in Ps. 14:7): OH THAT THE SALVATION OF ISRAEL WOULD COME OUT OF ZION! The blessing is from Zion, as stated (in Ps. 133:3): LIKE THE DEW OF HERMON WHICH COMES DOWN UPON THE HILLS OF ZION, < FOR THERE THE LORD HAS COMMANDED THE BLESSING >…. Help is from Zion, as stated (in Ps. 20:3 [2]): MAY HE SEND YOUR HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY AND SUSTAIN YOU FROM ZION. The Holy One said: In the world to come also I will bless Israel from Zion, for so David has said (in Ps. 134:3): THE LORD WILL BLESS YOU FROM ZION.