יִ֠שָּׂאֻהוּ עַל־כָּתֵ֨ף יִסְבְּלֻ֜הוּ וְיַנִּיחֻ֤הוּ תַחְתָּיו֙ וְיַֽעֲמֹ֔ד מִמְּקוֹמ֖וֹ לֹ֣א יָמִ֑ישׁ אַף־יִצְעַ֤ק אֵלָיו֙ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲנֶ֔ה מִצָּרָת֖וֹ לֹ֥א יוֹשִׁיעֶֽנּוּ׃ (ס)
Pinapasan nila ito sa balikat, binubuhat nila ito, at inilalagay sa kinalalagyan nito, at doon ito nakatayo; hindi ito makaalis sa kinaroroonan nito. Kahit sumigaw pa ang isa rito, hindi ito sumasagot; hindi siya nito maililigtas mula sa kanyang kagipitan.
Devarim Rabbah
“For who is a great nation that has God near it, as is the Lord our God in all of our calling to Him” (Deuteronomy 4:7).
“For who is a great nation…” – halakha: If a person of Israel recited Shema, is it permitted for him to pause after reciting Shema and then to pray? So taught the Sages: There are three acts that must be performed immediately [following another act]: Immediately following placing of the hands [on an animal that is about to be sacrificed] is its slaughter; immediately following redemption is prayer;17Redemption is the last of the blessings after Shema in the morning, and it is to be immediately followed by the Amida prayer. and immediately following washing the hands is the blessing.18The blessing recited over the bread. One who does so, what is his reward? Rabba bar Abbahu said: If he placed hands and slaughtered, he may be certain that his offering will be accepted. If he washed his hands and immediately recited the blessing, he may be certain that the Accuser will not denounce him during his meal. If he recited Shema and immediately prayed, he may be certain that his prayer will be heard.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: You find idols that are near but distant, but the Holy One blessed be He is distant but near. How are idols near? An idolater crafts an idol and stands it in his house with him; it is near. From where is it derived that it is distant? As it is stated: “Even if one will call to it, it will not answer…” (Isaiah 46:7); that is distant. The Holy One blessed be He is distant and near. How so? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: From here to the heaven is a walking distance of five hundred years; that is distant. And from where is it derived that He is near? As a person stands and prays and contemplates within his heart, and the Holy One blessed be He is near, such that He hears his prayer, as it is stated: “You, who hear prayer, all flesh comes to You” (Psalms 65:3).
David said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, when the nations of the world come to pray before You, do not answer them, as they do not come to You wholeheartedly. Rather, they go to their idol, and it does not answer them. They see that their trouble is severe, and they come to You. You, too, should not answer them,’ as it is stated: “They cried out, but there was no savior; to the Lord, who did not answer them” (Psalms 18:42). What is “they cried out”? They cried out to their idol. ‘And when they come to You, “to the Lord, who did not answer them.”19The word “to [al]” is written with an ayin. The midrash here expounds it as though it were written al with an alef, such that it means “do not.” The verse can then be translated: “Lord, do not answer them.” But when Israel calls to you, immediately, hear our prayer, as it is stated: “When I call, answer me, God of my righteousness”’ (Psalms 4:2). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘What did you say, “when I call, answer me”? As you live, I will answer you before you call Me, as it is stated: “Before they call, I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24), as I do not have another nation other than you.’ From where is this derived? It is from what we read regarding the matter: “For who is a great nation.”
“For who is a great nation…” – halakha: If a person of Israel recited Shema, is it permitted for him to pause after reciting Shema and then to pray? So taught the Sages: There are three acts that must be performed immediately [following another act]: Immediately following placing of the hands [on an animal that is about to be sacrificed] is its slaughter; immediately following redemption is prayer;17Redemption is the last of the blessings after Shema in the morning, and it is to be immediately followed by the Amida prayer. and immediately following washing the hands is the blessing.18The blessing recited over the bread. One who does so, what is his reward? Rabba bar Abbahu said: If he placed hands and slaughtered, he may be certain that his offering will be accepted. If he washed his hands and immediately recited the blessing, he may be certain that the Accuser will not denounce him during his meal. If he recited Shema and immediately prayed, he may be certain that his prayer will be heard.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: You find idols that are near but distant, but the Holy One blessed be He is distant but near. How are idols near? An idolater crafts an idol and stands it in his house with him; it is near. From where is it derived that it is distant? As it is stated: “Even if one will call to it, it will not answer…” (Isaiah 46:7); that is distant. The Holy One blessed be He is distant and near. How so? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: From here to the heaven is a walking distance of five hundred years; that is distant. And from where is it derived that He is near? As a person stands and prays and contemplates within his heart, and the Holy One blessed be He is near, such that He hears his prayer, as it is stated: “You, who hear prayer, all flesh comes to You” (Psalms 65:3).
David said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, when the nations of the world come to pray before You, do not answer them, as they do not come to You wholeheartedly. Rather, they go to their idol, and it does not answer them. They see that their trouble is severe, and they come to You. You, too, should not answer them,’ as it is stated: “They cried out, but there was no savior; to the Lord, who did not answer them” (Psalms 18:42). What is “they cried out”? They cried out to their idol. ‘And when they come to You, “to the Lord, who did not answer them.”19The word “to [al]” is written with an ayin. The midrash here expounds it as though it were written al with an alef, such that it means “do not.” The verse can then be translated: “Lord, do not answer them.” But when Israel calls to you, immediately, hear our prayer, as it is stated: “When I call, answer me, God of my righteousness”’ (Psalms 4:2). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘What did you say, “when I call, answer me”? As you live, I will answer you before you call Me, as it is stated: “Before they call, I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24), as I do not have another nation other than you.’ From where is this derived? It is from what we read regarding the matter: “For who is a great nation.”
Devarim Rabbah
Another matter: “When you will beget children” – this what the verse said: “The act of the righteous brings life; the yield of the wicked is sin” (Proverbs 10:16). “The act of the righteous brings life” – Rabbi Tanḥum said: This is Elifaz, who grew up on Isaac’s lap.39Elifaz was a son of Esau. Because of the influence of his grandfather Isaac, Elifaz did not kill Jacob even though Esau commanded him to do so (see Rashi on Genesis 29:11). “The yield of the wicked is sin” – this is Amalek, who grew up on Esau’s lap.
Another matter: “The act of the righteous brings life” (Proverbs 10:16) – everything that David and Solomon his son did was to give life to Israel. What is “the yield of [tevuat] the wicked is sin” (Proverbs 10:16) – with one entry [bevia] that Menashe made into the Holy of Holies, he brought about sin for Israel, as he crafted a four-faced idol and took it into the Sanctuary. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “And behold, north of the gate of the altar was this image of infuriation in the entrance [babia]” (Ezekiel 8:5). Rabbi Aḥa said: This is a great cry of injustice [biya] for the world; the temporary resident ousts the landlord.40The idol, as it were, ousted God’s Presence. Why did he craft a four-faced idol? It was corresponding to the four beasts that bear the throne of the Holy One blessed be He.41See Ezekiel 1:5–10. Another matter: Why four faces? It was corresponding to the four directions of the world. Anyone who would come from the four directions of the world would prostrate himself to this idol.
What did the Holy One blessed be He do to [Menashe]? He delivered him into the hand of his enemies. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The Lord brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria. [They captured Menashe…] and bound him with fetters” (II Chronicles 33:11). They crafted for him a bronze cauldron, placed him inside it, and they kindled a fire beneath it, and he was being burned in it. At that moment, Menashe cried out to all the deities in the world to whom he would sacrifice, but not even one of them answered him, as it is stated: “Even if one will call to it, it will not answer, it will not save him from his trouble” (Isaiah 46:7).
When Menashe saw that his trouble was severe, as not even one of them answered him, he began crying out to the Holy One blessed be He. He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I cried out to all the deities in the world, although I knew that they lacked substance. Master of the universe, You are the God over all gods, and if You do not answer me, I will say: Perhaps, God forbid, that all beings are alike.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one, by right I should not answer you, as you have angered Me; however, in order not to slam the door before penitents, so they will not say: Menashe sought to repent and was not accepted, I will answer you.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “He prayed to Him, and He acceded to his entreaty [vaye’ater lo]” (II Chronicles 33:13) – He excavated on his behalf [vayaḥtor lo].42The Midrash elsewhere (Vayikra Rabba 30:3) explains this with the following statement: Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon said: In Arabia, they call digging [ḥatirata] atirata. This teaches that the ministering angels were sealing the windows of the firmament so that his prayer would not ascend to Heaven. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He excavated beneath the Throne of Glory and accepted his prayer. “And returned him to Jerusalem to his kingdom” (II Chronicles 33:13) – Rabbi Shmuel bar Unya said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: He returned him with the wind, just as it is said: He causes the wind to blow. At that moment, Menashe acknowledged that the Lord is God.
Another matter: “The act of the righteous is life” (Proverbs 10:16) – these are the righteous ones who came into the land, who had lived in the days of Moses. “The yield of the wicked is sin” (Proverbs 10:16) – “when you will beget children, and children’s children, and you will have been long in the land…”
Another matter: “The act of the righteous brings life” (Proverbs 10:16) – everything that David and Solomon his son did was to give life to Israel. What is “the yield of [tevuat] the wicked is sin” (Proverbs 10:16) – with one entry [bevia] that Menashe made into the Holy of Holies, he brought about sin for Israel, as he crafted a four-faced idol and took it into the Sanctuary. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “And behold, north of the gate of the altar was this image of infuriation in the entrance [babia]” (Ezekiel 8:5). Rabbi Aḥa said: This is a great cry of injustice [biya] for the world; the temporary resident ousts the landlord.40The idol, as it were, ousted God’s Presence. Why did he craft a four-faced idol? It was corresponding to the four beasts that bear the throne of the Holy One blessed be He.41See Ezekiel 1:5–10. Another matter: Why four faces? It was corresponding to the four directions of the world. Anyone who would come from the four directions of the world would prostrate himself to this idol.
What did the Holy One blessed be He do to [Menashe]? He delivered him into the hand of his enemies. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The Lord brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria. [They captured Menashe…] and bound him with fetters” (II Chronicles 33:11). They crafted for him a bronze cauldron, placed him inside it, and they kindled a fire beneath it, and he was being burned in it. At that moment, Menashe cried out to all the deities in the world to whom he would sacrifice, but not even one of them answered him, as it is stated: “Even if one will call to it, it will not answer, it will not save him from his trouble” (Isaiah 46:7).
When Menashe saw that his trouble was severe, as not even one of them answered him, he began crying out to the Holy One blessed be He. He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I cried out to all the deities in the world, although I knew that they lacked substance. Master of the universe, You are the God over all gods, and if You do not answer me, I will say: Perhaps, God forbid, that all beings are alike.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one, by right I should not answer you, as you have angered Me; however, in order not to slam the door before penitents, so they will not say: Menashe sought to repent and was not accepted, I will answer you.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “He prayed to Him, and He acceded to his entreaty [vaye’ater lo]” (II Chronicles 33:13) – He excavated on his behalf [vayaḥtor lo].42The Midrash elsewhere (Vayikra Rabba 30:3) explains this with the following statement: Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon said: In Arabia, they call digging [ḥatirata] atirata. This teaches that the ministering angels were sealing the windows of the firmament so that his prayer would not ascend to Heaven. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He excavated beneath the Throne of Glory and accepted his prayer. “And returned him to Jerusalem to his kingdom” (II Chronicles 33:13) – Rabbi Shmuel bar Unya said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: He returned him with the wind, just as it is said: He causes the wind to blow. At that moment, Menashe acknowledged that the Lord is God.
Another matter: “The act of the righteous is life” (Proverbs 10:16) – these are the righteous ones who came into the land, who had lived in the days of Moses. “The yield of the wicked is sin” (Proverbs 10:16) – “when you will beget children, and children’s children, and you will have been long in the land…”
Midrash Tehillim
Another interpretation in the clouds. It says in the scripture (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For what great nation is there that has God close to it, as the Lord our God is whenever we call upon Him?" Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yitzhak, "He has a patron in the flesh." They said to him, "Your son has been caught." He said to them, "I am responsible for him." They said to him, "But he is sentenced to death. Where is he, and where is his patron?" However, the Holy One, blessed be He, saved Moses from Pharaoh's sword, as it says (Exodus 18:4), "For the God of my father was my help." Rabbi Yannai said, "It is written (Exodus 2:15), 'And Moses fled from Pharaoh.' Can a person escape from a monarchy? But at the moment when Pharaoh's men caught him and were about to decapitate him with a sword, the hilt of the sword broke above the neck of Moses, as it says (Song of Songs 7:6), 'Your neck is like the tower of David.' This refers to the neck of Moses." Rabbi Avitar said, "Not only that, but the sword fell on the neck of the executioner, and Moses killed him, as it says (Exodus 18:4), 'And He saved me from Pharaoh's sword.' He saved me, but not the executioner." Rabbi Berachya called upon it (Proverbs 21:18), "The wicked are a ransom for the righteous." Rabbi Avin called upon it (ibid. 11:8), "The righteous one is saved from distress." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "At the moment when Moses fled, all the inhabitants of Pharaoh's palace became dumb, deaf, and blind. To the dumb, he said, 'Where did Moses flee?' but they did not speak. To the deaf, he said, 'What is happening?' but they did not hear. To the blind, he said, 'What does Moses look like?' but they did not see. This is what the Holy One, blessed be He, said (Exodus 4:11), 'Who gives a person speech?' There, you have the answer, but here I have none." Therefore, it is written (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For the Lord our God is close to us whenever we call upon Him." Rabbi Yudan said another interpretation: "He has a patron in the flesh." They said to him, "Your son has been caught." He said to them, "I am responsible for him." They said to him, "But he is sentenced to death." "And the Holy One, blessed be He, did not save Jonah from the belly of the fish, as it is said (Jonah 2:11), 'And the Lord spoke to the fish.' Rabbi Yudan said in his name, 'Flesh and blood have an advocate. When a time of trouble comes upon him suddenly, he does not immediately enter before him (God), but he comes and stands at the door of his advocate and calls to his servant and says, "So-and-so is at the door." But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. When a time of trouble comes upon Israel, he should not call upon Gabriel or Michael, but call upon him (God), and he will answer him. This is what is written (Joel 2:32), "And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered." Rabbi Alexandri related a story about a certain judge who used to deride others. He said to him, 'What is your name?' He replied, 'Alexander,' and he (the judge) turned away in contempt. The judge then asked him, 'What is the name of your advocate?' He replied, 'Alexander,' and the judge immediately rose to his feet and kissed him on his forehead, saying, 'My master, my master.' If one who is called by the name of flesh and blood can be saved from danger, how much more so one who is called by the name of the Holy One, blessed be He?' Rabbi Pinchas said two things in the name of Rabbi Zeira and one in the name of Rabbi Tanhum. Flesh and blood have an advocate. If one has burdened him excessively, he (the advocate) says, 'I have forgotten so-and-so who has burdened me too much.' But the Holy One, blessed be He, accepts whatever burdens Israel places upon Him, as it is said (Psalms 55:23), "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee." Flesh and blood have an advocate. If one's enemies seize him at the door of his home and he cries out to him (the advocate), the sword may fall upon his neck and kill him before he is rescued. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. He saved Jehoshaphat from the sword of Aram, as it is said (Chronicles II 18:31), "And Jehoshaphat cried out and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him." This teaches that he only lacked humility. Rabbi Shimon said, flesh and blood have a relative; if he is rich, he acknowledges him, but if he is poor, he does not acknowledge him. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. When Israel is in distress, he calls them "brothers" and "friends," as it is said (Psalms 122:8), "For my brethren and companions' sakes," and it is written (Exodus 33:11), "And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." Rabbi Zeira said, a person has a son who is seen once in seventy years, and yet he kisses him on the forehead; but the Holy One, blessed be He, waits for the repentance of the wicked every day, as it is said (Ezekiel 33:11), "As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." Above the firmament are the Chayot (heavenly beings). Rabbi Chelbo said that even the Chayot move in a cycle of 490 years. The legs of the Chayot correspond to all the animals, and the Throne of Glory corresponds to everything above. When a person enters the synagogue and stands behind the pillar to whisper their prayer, the Lord listens. This is what is written, "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God whenever we call upon Him?" (Deuteronomy 4:7) Rabbi Chanina asked Rabbi Samuel, "What does it mean when it says in Lamentations 3:44, 'You covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through?'" He replied that the gates of prayer are sometimes open and sometimes closed, but the gates of tears are never closed. Why is this? Because the Lord our God is close to us. Rabbi Hoshea asked, "Which nation delays God like this one?" How is it that when elders sit and recall the past year, the Lord agrees with them? Concerning them, David said, "I will call upon the Most High God, who completes for me" (Psalm 57:3). Blessed be the name of the Lord our God who completes and finishes with Israel what they do. A mortal king decrees a decree, and even if people seek to annul it, they cannot do so, whether willingly or unwillingly, because they must fulfill his decree. However, if the king himself seeks to annul it, he can do so. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that; rather, He upholds whatever the Sanhedrin decrees. When is this? On Rosh Hashanah, when the Sanhedrin sits and says, "Let Rosh Hashanah be on the second day of Shabbat or on the third day of Shabbat," immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, seats a Sanhedrin of angels and says to them, "Go and see if the lower court decreed and finalized it." They reply, "Master of the Universe, so they decreed." He then sits on that same day to judge His world, as it is stated (Psalms 47:6), "God has ascended amid shouts, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets." The thrones are brought out, the books are opened, and the Sanhedrin of angels sits before Him, as it is stated (Daniel 7:9), "I looked until thrones were set up and the Ancient of Days took His seat." Some teach merit, while others teach obligation. Why? As it is stated (Psalms 81:5), "For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob." Israel decreed that day as Rosh Hashanah, and it is also an ordinance of the God of Jacob, for He upholds His decrees and agrees with them. As it is stated (Psalms 50:15), "Call upon Me on the day of distress; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me." He agrees with Israel's opinion. Know that this is so because it is written (Numbers 29:1), "There shall be a day of blowing the horn for you," and it is only said "for you" and not for Me. Similarly, it is stated (Leviticus 23:2), "These are My appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as sacred assemblies." You shall proclaim them, whether in their proper time or not, for I have no appointed festivals except for these. As it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For what great nation is there that has God so near to them as the Lord our God is whenever we call upon Him?" And we call upon Him only for the sanctification of the festivals, as it is stated (Leviticus 23:4), "These are the appointed festivals of the Lord, the sacred occasions, which you shall celebrate at their appointed time." Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: If a mortal king has a relative who is taken captive, he is ashamed to say that And the Lord brought out the captive and insane Israelites and called them His close people, as it is said (Psalms 148:14), "He has raised up a horn for His people, the praise of all His faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to His heart." King David said, "Master of the Universe, even if a wicked person from among the Israelites comes and calls out to You, You answer them immediately, so that the nations of the world will not say that all faces are equal and that You answer me too." The Lord said to him, "I smile until you call Me, then I will answer you," as it is said (Psalms 50:15), "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." And it is said (Psalms 91:15), "When he calls on Me, I will answer him." And it is said (Isaiah 65:24), "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer." Nevertheless, his call must be sincere, as it is said (Psalms 145:18), "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth." Anyone who calls upon Him in truth can say, "God is good to Israel," (Psalms 73:1), "But as for me, God's nearness is my good," (Psalms 73:28), "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him," (Lamentations 3:25), "Good is the Lord to the one who seeks refuge in Him," (Psalms 34:9), and "The Lord is good to the upright in heart."