כִּ֥י גָ֘בַ֤ר עָלֵ֨ינוּ ׀ חַסְדּ֗וֹ וֶֽאֱמֶת־יְהוָ֥ה לְעוֹלָ֗ם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃
Sapagkat nanaig sa atin ang Kanyang kagandahang-loob, at ang katapatan ng Walang-Hanggan ay magpakailanman. Purihin ninyo ang Walang-Hanggan!
Vayikra Rabbah
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When a man among you sacrifices an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering from the animals, from the herd or from the flock you shall bring your offering” (Leviticus 1:2).
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When a man among you brings an offering to the Lord” – that is what the verse says: “Is Ephraim a precious [yakir] son to Me?” (Jeremiah 31:20). Ten were called precious [yekarim], and they are: Torah, prophecy, understanding, knowledge, foolishness, wealth, the righteous, the death of the pious, kindness, and Israel. Torah, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “It is more precious [yekara] than pearls” (Proverbs 3:15). Prophecy, from where is it derived? “The word of the Lord was rare [yakar] in those days” (I Samuel 3:1). Understanding, from where is it derived? “A man of understanding is noble of [yekar] spirit” (Proverbs 17:27). Knowledge, from where is it derived? “Lips of knowledge are a precious [yakar] vessel” (Proverbs 20:15). Foolishness, from where is it derived? “A little foolishness outweighs [yakar] wisdom and honor” (Ecclesiastes 10:1). Wealth, from where is it derived? “A diligent man has precious [yakar] wealth” (Proverbs 12:27). The righteous, from where is it derived? “How precious [yakeru] are Your friends to me, God” (Psalms 139:17). The death of the pious, from where is it derived? “Precious [yakar] in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones” (Psalms 116:15). Kindness, from where is it derived? “How precious is Your kindness, God” (Psalms 36:8). Israel, from where is it derived? “Is Ephraim a precious [yakir] son to Me?” (Jeremiah 31:20). Israel’s standing with Me is precious. The way of the world is that one thousand enter to study Bible, from whom one hundred emerge.1One hundred emerge proficient enough in the Bible to progress to the study of Mishna. One hundred enter to study Mishna, from whom ten emerge. Ten enter to study Talmud, from whom one emerges.2In Kohelet Rabba (8:28) the midrash clarifies that one emerges who is sufficiently knowledgeable to issue halakhic rulings. That is what is written: “One of one thousand I have found” (Ecclesiastes 7:28).3Israel is precious in that at least some of them, one in a thousand, emerge as true Torah scholars. Alternatively, just as among individuals only one in a thousand become outstanding scholars, so too Israel as a whole, on a national level, is unique in its spiritual standing.
Another matter, “one of one thousand I have found,” this is Abraham. “But a woman among all these I did not find” (Ecclesiastes 7:28), this is Sarah.4Although Sarah was exceedingly righteous, her righteousness was not as perfect as that of Abraham. When informed that they would have a child, Abraham believed the prophecy but Sarah did not (see Genesis 18:10–15). Another matter, “one of one thousand I have found,” this is Amram. “But a woman among all these I did not find,” this is Yokheved. Another matter, “one of one thousand I have found,” this is Moses. “But a woman among all these I did not find,” these are the women of the generation of the wilderness. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: The women of the generation of the wilderness were upright. When they heard that they were forbidden to their husbands, they immediately locked their doors.5When Moses introduced the laws of forbidden relations, and the laws of nidda, the men mourned, but the women accepted these laws and refrained from engaging in relations in these circumstances.
The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Israel’s standing with Me is precious.’ Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Yitzḥak, Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Had Pharaoh requested the weight of each and every one of Israel in gems and pearls,6Had Pharoah requested great wealth in return for releasing the Israelites. would I not have given it to him? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Did He not take them for a price? Do hordes upon hordes of lice, hordes upon hordes of beasts not have a price?7God generally maintains the rules of nature and prefers not to bring open miracles, but for the sake of redeeming Israel He performed great miracles. This displays His love for Israel (Etz Yosef). That is, ‘Israel’s standing with Me is precious.’
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When a man among you brings an offering to the Lord” – that is what the verse says: “Is Ephraim a precious [yakir] son to Me?” (Jeremiah 31:20). Ten were called precious [yekarim], and they are: Torah, prophecy, understanding, knowledge, foolishness, wealth, the righteous, the death of the pious, kindness, and Israel. Torah, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “It is more precious [yekara] than pearls” (Proverbs 3:15). Prophecy, from where is it derived? “The word of the Lord was rare [yakar] in those days” (I Samuel 3:1). Understanding, from where is it derived? “A man of understanding is noble of [yekar] spirit” (Proverbs 17:27). Knowledge, from where is it derived? “Lips of knowledge are a precious [yakar] vessel” (Proverbs 20:15). Foolishness, from where is it derived? “A little foolishness outweighs [yakar] wisdom and honor” (Ecclesiastes 10:1). Wealth, from where is it derived? “A diligent man has precious [yakar] wealth” (Proverbs 12:27). The righteous, from where is it derived? “How precious [yakeru] are Your friends to me, God” (Psalms 139:17). The death of the pious, from where is it derived? “Precious [yakar] in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones” (Psalms 116:15). Kindness, from where is it derived? “How precious is Your kindness, God” (Psalms 36:8). Israel, from where is it derived? “Is Ephraim a precious [yakir] son to Me?” (Jeremiah 31:20). Israel’s standing with Me is precious. The way of the world is that one thousand enter to study Bible, from whom one hundred emerge.1One hundred emerge proficient enough in the Bible to progress to the study of Mishna. One hundred enter to study Mishna, from whom ten emerge. Ten enter to study Talmud, from whom one emerges.2In Kohelet Rabba (8:28) the midrash clarifies that one emerges who is sufficiently knowledgeable to issue halakhic rulings. That is what is written: “One of one thousand I have found” (Ecclesiastes 7:28).3Israel is precious in that at least some of them, one in a thousand, emerge as true Torah scholars. Alternatively, just as among individuals only one in a thousand become outstanding scholars, so too Israel as a whole, on a national level, is unique in its spiritual standing.
Another matter, “one of one thousand I have found,” this is Abraham. “But a woman among all these I did not find” (Ecclesiastes 7:28), this is Sarah.4Although Sarah was exceedingly righteous, her righteousness was not as perfect as that of Abraham. When informed that they would have a child, Abraham believed the prophecy but Sarah did not (see Genesis 18:10–15). Another matter, “one of one thousand I have found,” this is Amram. “But a woman among all these I did not find,” this is Yokheved. Another matter, “one of one thousand I have found,” this is Moses. “But a woman among all these I did not find,” these are the women of the generation of the wilderness. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: The women of the generation of the wilderness were upright. When they heard that they were forbidden to their husbands, they immediately locked their doors.5When Moses introduced the laws of forbidden relations, and the laws of nidda, the men mourned, but the women accepted these laws and refrained from engaging in relations in these circumstances.
The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Israel’s standing with Me is precious.’ Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Yitzḥak, Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Had Pharaoh requested the weight of each and every one of Israel in gems and pearls,6Had Pharoah requested great wealth in return for releasing the Israelites. would I not have given it to him? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Did He not take them for a price? Do hordes upon hordes of lice, hordes upon hordes of beasts not have a price?7God generally maintains the rules of nature and prefers not to bring open miracles, but for the sake of redeeming Israel He performed great miracles. This displays His love for Israel (Etz Yosef). That is, ‘Israel’s standing with Me is precious.’
Shemot Rabbah
Another matter, “it was at midnight” – David said: “I will remember my song during the night” (Psalms 77:7). The congregation of Israel said: ‘We remember the disasters with which you would overcome the enemies on our behalf at night.’ “My song” means nothing other than disaster, as you say: “…I am their song [manginatam], [exact retribution against them, Lord]” (Lamentations 3:63–4), and it says: “Blessed is God Most High, who has delivered [migen] your enemies into your hand” (Genesis 14:20).8The term for “delivered,” migen, is related to the word for “song,” negina. Sennacherib came against us and You overcame him at night, as it is stated: “It was that night, the angel of the Lord emerged, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians” (II Kings 19:35).
Rabbi Neḥemya said: Come and see the love of the Holy One blessed be He, for Israel, as the Holy One blessed be He rendered the ministering angels, who are “mighty in strength who fulfill His word” (Psalms 103:20), guardians of Israel. Who are they? Mikhael and Gavriel, as it is stated: “Upon your walls, I have set watchmen” (Isaiah 62:6). When Sennacheribcame, Mikhael emerged and smote them; and Gavriel rescued Ḥananya and his compatriots at the command of the Holy One blessed be He.
Why is it so? The Holy One blessed be He had set conditions with them. When? When He prepared to descend to rescue Abraham from the fiery furnace, Mikhael and Gavriel said before Him: ‘We will descend to rescue him.’ He said to them: ‘If [Abraham] had descended to the furnace for the sake of one of you, you would rescue him, but he descended for the sake of My name, and I will descend to rescue him,’ as it is stated: “I am the Lord who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 15:7).9The term Ur can also mean fire. This verse alludes to the fact that God saved Abraham from the fiery furnace. ‘But because you were prepared to rescue him for the sake of My name, I will set a time for you when you will descend; you, Mikhael, against the Assyrian encampment and you, Gavriel, against the Chaldean encampment.10The Chaldeans are associated with the Babylonians, who threw Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya into the fiery furnace. See Daniel chapter 3.
When Gavriel descended to rescue Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, he decreed to the fire, and it emerged and burned all those who had cast them in, as it is stated: “The flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, [and Abednego]” (Daniel 3:22).11Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were the Babylonian names of Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya (Daniel 1:7). Some say: Four classes [of officers] died there; at first, it is written: “Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the king’s ministers…were assembled” (Daniel 3:3).12In this verse there are actually eight different officials listed. It should be noted that “the king’s ministers” are not included in this verse, but rather in verse 27. Here, [following this event,] four were missing, as it is stated: “And the satraps assembled…” (Daniel 3:27).13In this verse there are only four different types of official listed. Therefore, Ḥananya said: “Praise the Lord, all nations” (Psalms 117:1). Mishael said: “Laud Him, all the peoples” (Psalms 117:1). Azarya said: “For His mercy is great toward us” (Psalms 117:2). The angel said: “And the truth of the Lord endures forever” (Psalms 117:2); it is true what He said to me when I descended to rescue Abraham.
Likewise, Mikhael did what He told him, as it is stated: “It was that night, that the angel of the Lord emerged [and smote in the camp of the Assyrians…]” (II Kings 19:35). It was taught: All the generals and the commanders were drinking wine and they left their jugs cast aside. The Holy One blessed be He said to Sennacherib: ‘You did yours,’14You did it by means of messengers. as it is stated: “By your messengers you taunted” (II Kings 19:23); ‘I, too, [will act] by means of My messengers.’
What did He do to him? “And instead of his glory, a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire” (Isaiah 10:16). What is “instead of his glory”? It is that He burned their bodies from within and left their garments [intact] on the outside, as the glory of a person is his garment. Why did he leave their garments [intact]? It is because they were the descendants of Shem, as it is stated: “The children of Shem: Eilam and Ashur…” (Genesis 10:22). The Holy One blessed be He said: I am indebted to their ancestor Shem, as he and Yefet took their garments and covered their father’s nakedness, as it is stated: “Shem and Yefet took the garment” (Genesis 9:23); that is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Mikhael: ‘Leave their garments intact and burn their souls.’ What is written there? “They awoke early in the morning, and behold, they were all dead corpses” (II Kings 19:35). That is what is written: “Each morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land” (Psalms 101:8).
The people of Israel and Hezekiah were sitting and reciting hallel, as it was the [first] night of Passover, and they were afraid, saying: ‘Now Jerusalem will be conquered by his hand [Sennacherib].’ When they awoke in the morning to stand and recite Shema and pray, they found their enemies “dead corpses.” That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Isaiah: “Call his name Maher Shalal Ḥash Baz” (Isaiah 8:3),15This means: Plunder hastens, spoils quicken. and he quickly plundered their spoils. And he called the name of the other one: “Immanu El” (Isaiah 7:14),16Literally, God is with us. saying that I am with him, as it is stated: “With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God” (II Chronicles 32:8).
Just as the Holy One blessed be He acted in this world through Mikhael and Gavriel, so too, in the future, He will act through them, as it is stated: “Saviors will ascend to Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau” (Obadiah 1:21) – these are Mikhael and Gavriel. Our saintly Rabbi17Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. says: This [verse refers to] Mikhael himself, as it is stated: “At that time, Mikhael the great angel, who stands for the members of Your people, will stand” (Daniel 12:1), as he is an advocate for the needs of Israel, and speaks on their behalf, as it is stated: “The angel of the Lord spoke and said: Lord of hosts, how long will You not have compassion on Jerusalem…” (Zechariah 1:12), and it says: “And there is no one who helps me against these, except for Mikhael, your prince” (Daniel 10:21).
Rabbi Yosei said: To what are Mikhael and Samael comparable? To an advocate and a prosecutor standing at trial. This one speaks and that one speaks. This one completes his contentions and that one his contentions. That advocate knows that he prevailed; he begins praising the judge [and imploring him] to issue his ruling. The prosecutor seeks to add to his statement, and the advocate says to him: ‘Be silent and let us hear the judge.’ So Mikhael and Samael stand before the Divine Presence, and the adversary18Samael. prosecutes and Mikhael speaks in defense of Israel. The adversary comes to speak and Mikhael silences him. Why? It is as it is stated: “I will hear what God the Lord will speak, as He will speak peace to His people” (Psalms 85:9); that is: “I will remember my song during the night,” regarding the miracle of Hezekiah.
Another matter, “I will remember my song [neginati],” – I remember what You did on our behalf in Egypt, and the strategies [menagenin] that You employed in Egypt. How so? Initially, when the Holy One blessed be He sought to bring plagues on the Egyptians, He intended to bring the plague of the firstborn first, as it is stated: “Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn” (Exodus 4:23). [Pharaoh] began saying: “Who is the Lord that I should heed His voice?” (Exodus 5:2). The Holy One blessed be He said: If I bring the plague of the firstborn first, He will let them go; rather, I will bring other plagues upon him [first], and in the wake of this, I will bring them all, as it is stated: “And the Lord smote all the firstborn.”19The verse specifies that during the plague of the firstborn, God killed the firstborn of Pharaoh along with all the other firstborn of Egypt. Thus, God waited until after all the other plagues to kill Pharaoh’s firstborn (Etz Yosef). Therefore, David lauds: “Who knows the power of Your anger?” (Psalms 90:11). Who knows Your strategies that you employed at the sea, as it is stated: “Your way in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps [ikvotekha] were not known” (Psalms 77:20); who knows the matters that You do at the end [akev]?20Who knows what God is doing to carry out His plans, and the great calculations that go into His actions?
Rabbi Neḥemya said: Come and see the love of the Holy One blessed be He, for Israel, as the Holy One blessed be He rendered the ministering angels, who are “mighty in strength who fulfill His word” (Psalms 103:20), guardians of Israel. Who are they? Mikhael and Gavriel, as it is stated: “Upon your walls, I have set watchmen” (Isaiah 62:6). When Sennacheribcame, Mikhael emerged and smote them; and Gavriel rescued Ḥananya and his compatriots at the command of the Holy One blessed be He.
Why is it so? The Holy One blessed be He had set conditions with them. When? When He prepared to descend to rescue Abraham from the fiery furnace, Mikhael and Gavriel said before Him: ‘We will descend to rescue him.’ He said to them: ‘If [Abraham] had descended to the furnace for the sake of one of you, you would rescue him, but he descended for the sake of My name, and I will descend to rescue him,’ as it is stated: “I am the Lord who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 15:7).9The term Ur can also mean fire. This verse alludes to the fact that God saved Abraham from the fiery furnace. ‘But because you were prepared to rescue him for the sake of My name, I will set a time for you when you will descend; you, Mikhael, against the Assyrian encampment and you, Gavriel, against the Chaldean encampment.10The Chaldeans are associated with the Babylonians, who threw Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya into the fiery furnace. See Daniel chapter 3.
When Gavriel descended to rescue Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, he decreed to the fire, and it emerged and burned all those who had cast them in, as it is stated: “The flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, [and Abednego]” (Daniel 3:22).11Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were the Babylonian names of Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya (Daniel 1:7). Some say: Four classes [of officers] died there; at first, it is written: “Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the king’s ministers…were assembled” (Daniel 3:3).12In this verse there are actually eight different officials listed. It should be noted that “the king’s ministers” are not included in this verse, but rather in verse 27. Here, [following this event,] four were missing, as it is stated: “And the satraps assembled…” (Daniel 3:27).13In this verse there are only four different types of official listed. Therefore, Ḥananya said: “Praise the Lord, all nations” (Psalms 117:1). Mishael said: “Laud Him, all the peoples” (Psalms 117:1). Azarya said: “For His mercy is great toward us” (Psalms 117:2). The angel said: “And the truth of the Lord endures forever” (Psalms 117:2); it is true what He said to me when I descended to rescue Abraham.
Likewise, Mikhael did what He told him, as it is stated: “It was that night, that the angel of the Lord emerged [and smote in the camp of the Assyrians…]” (II Kings 19:35). It was taught: All the generals and the commanders were drinking wine and they left their jugs cast aside. The Holy One blessed be He said to Sennacherib: ‘You did yours,’14You did it by means of messengers. as it is stated: “By your messengers you taunted” (II Kings 19:23); ‘I, too, [will act] by means of My messengers.’
What did He do to him? “And instead of his glory, a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire” (Isaiah 10:16). What is “instead of his glory”? It is that He burned their bodies from within and left their garments [intact] on the outside, as the glory of a person is his garment. Why did he leave their garments [intact]? It is because they were the descendants of Shem, as it is stated: “The children of Shem: Eilam and Ashur…” (Genesis 10:22). The Holy One blessed be He said: I am indebted to their ancestor Shem, as he and Yefet took their garments and covered their father’s nakedness, as it is stated: “Shem and Yefet took the garment” (Genesis 9:23); that is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Mikhael: ‘Leave their garments intact and burn their souls.’ What is written there? “They awoke early in the morning, and behold, they were all dead corpses” (II Kings 19:35). That is what is written: “Each morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land” (Psalms 101:8).
The people of Israel and Hezekiah were sitting and reciting hallel, as it was the [first] night of Passover, and they were afraid, saying: ‘Now Jerusalem will be conquered by his hand [Sennacherib].’ When they awoke in the morning to stand and recite Shema and pray, they found their enemies “dead corpses.” That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Isaiah: “Call his name Maher Shalal Ḥash Baz” (Isaiah 8:3),15This means: Plunder hastens, spoils quicken. and he quickly plundered their spoils. And he called the name of the other one: “Immanu El” (Isaiah 7:14),16Literally, God is with us. saying that I am with him, as it is stated: “With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God” (II Chronicles 32:8).
Just as the Holy One blessed be He acted in this world through Mikhael and Gavriel, so too, in the future, He will act through them, as it is stated: “Saviors will ascend to Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau” (Obadiah 1:21) – these are Mikhael and Gavriel. Our saintly Rabbi17Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. says: This [verse refers to] Mikhael himself, as it is stated: “At that time, Mikhael the great angel, who stands for the members of Your people, will stand” (Daniel 12:1), as he is an advocate for the needs of Israel, and speaks on their behalf, as it is stated: “The angel of the Lord spoke and said: Lord of hosts, how long will You not have compassion on Jerusalem…” (Zechariah 1:12), and it says: “And there is no one who helps me against these, except for Mikhael, your prince” (Daniel 10:21).
Rabbi Yosei said: To what are Mikhael and Samael comparable? To an advocate and a prosecutor standing at trial. This one speaks and that one speaks. This one completes his contentions and that one his contentions. That advocate knows that he prevailed; he begins praising the judge [and imploring him] to issue his ruling. The prosecutor seeks to add to his statement, and the advocate says to him: ‘Be silent and let us hear the judge.’ So Mikhael and Samael stand before the Divine Presence, and the adversary18Samael. prosecutes and Mikhael speaks in defense of Israel. The adversary comes to speak and Mikhael silences him. Why? It is as it is stated: “I will hear what God the Lord will speak, as He will speak peace to His people” (Psalms 85:9); that is: “I will remember my song during the night,” regarding the miracle of Hezekiah.
Another matter, “I will remember my song [neginati],” – I remember what You did on our behalf in Egypt, and the strategies [menagenin] that You employed in Egypt. How so? Initially, when the Holy One blessed be He sought to bring plagues on the Egyptians, He intended to bring the plague of the firstborn first, as it is stated: “Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn” (Exodus 4:23). [Pharaoh] began saying: “Who is the Lord that I should heed His voice?” (Exodus 5:2). The Holy One blessed be He said: If I bring the plague of the firstborn first, He will let them go; rather, I will bring other plagues upon him [first], and in the wake of this, I will bring them all, as it is stated: “And the Lord smote all the firstborn.”19The verse specifies that during the plague of the firstborn, God killed the firstborn of Pharaoh along with all the other firstborn of Egypt. Thus, God waited until after all the other plagues to kill Pharaoh’s firstborn (Etz Yosef). Therefore, David lauds: “Who knows the power of Your anger?” (Psalms 90:11). Who knows Your strategies that you employed at the sea, as it is stated: “Your way in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps [ikvotekha] were not known” (Psalms 77:20); who knows the matters that You do at the end [akev]?20Who knows what God is doing to carry out His plans, and the great calculations that go into His actions?
Vayikra Rabbah
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: That is what is written: “You, Lord, are forever exalted” (Psalms 92:9). Your hand is always uppermost. The way of the world is that a flesh and blood king sits in judgment; when he issues a positive ruling, the entire people lauds him. When he issues a death sentence, there is no creature that lauds him because they know that there is impulsiveness in his ruling. But the Holy One blessed be He is not so; rather, whether with an attribute of goodness or with an attribute of punishment, “You, Lord, are forever exalted,” Your hand is always uppermost.
Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Aḥa: It is written: “A psalm of David. I sing kindness and justice; to You, Lord, I sing praises” (Psalms 101:1). David said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, if You perform kindness with me, I sing; in any case I sing praises.’ Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Yudan said: It is written: “I praise the word of God; I praise the word of the Lord” (Psalms 56:11); whatever the case, I praise His word.1Whether He acts with the attribute of justice, represented by the name God (Elohim), or the attribute of mercy, represented by the name Lord, the Tetragrammaton. The Rabbis say: It is written: “I will encounter distress and sorrow and I will call in the name of the Lord” (Psalms 116:3–4). “I will raise a cup of salvation, and I will call in the name of the Lord” (Psalms 116:13). I any case, I will call in the name of the Lord.
Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Pilya said: That is what Job said: “The Lord has given, the Lord has taken, may the name of the Lord be blessed” (Job 1:21). When He gives, He gives with mercy; when He takes, He takes with mercy. Moreover, when He gave, He did not consult anyone, but when He took, He consulted with His heavenly court. Rabbi Elazar said: Everywhere that you find “and the Lord,” it is He and His court.2The word “and” implies God and his court. The paradigm of them all: “And the Lord spoke ill of you” (I Kings 22:23).
Rabbi Yudan said: “You [Lord] are [forever] exalted.” You practice exaltedness in Your world. You granted priesthood to Aaron forever: “It is an [everlasting] covenant of salt” (Numbers 18:19). You granted kingdom to David forever, as it is stated: “Do you not know that the Lord, God of Israel, gave kingship [over Israel to David forever]” (II Chronicles 13:5). You granted holiness to Israel forever, as it is stated: “You shall be holy” (Leviticus 19:2).
Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Aḥa: It is written: “A psalm of David. I sing kindness and justice; to You, Lord, I sing praises” (Psalms 101:1). David said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, if You perform kindness with me, I sing; in any case I sing praises.’ Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Yudan said: It is written: “I praise the word of God; I praise the word of the Lord” (Psalms 56:11); whatever the case, I praise His word.1Whether He acts with the attribute of justice, represented by the name God (Elohim), or the attribute of mercy, represented by the name Lord, the Tetragrammaton. The Rabbis say: It is written: “I will encounter distress and sorrow and I will call in the name of the Lord” (Psalms 116:3–4). “I will raise a cup of salvation, and I will call in the name of the Lord” (Psalms 116:13). I any case, I will call in the name of the Lord.
Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Pilya said: That is what Job said: “The Lord has given, the Lord has taken, may the name of the Lord be blessed” (Job 1:21). When He gives, He gives with mercy; when He takes, He takes with mercy. Moreover, when He gave, He did not consult anyone, but when He took, He consulted with His heavenly court. Rabbi Elazar said: Everywhere that you find “and the Lord,” it is He and His court.2The word “and” implies God and his court. The paradigm of them all: “And the Lord spoke ill of you” (I Kings 22:23).
Rabbi Yudan said: “You [Lord] are [forever] exalted.” You practice exaltedness in Your world. You granted priesthood to Aaron forever: “It is an [everlasting] covenant of salt” (Numbers 18:19). You granted kingdom to David forever, as it is stated: “Do you not know that the Lord, God of Israel, gave kingship [over Israel to David forever]” (II Chronicles 13:5). You granted holiness to Israel forever, as it is stated: “You shall be holy” (Leviticus 19:2).