מדרש אויף איכה 3:64

“Pay them retribution, Lord, according to their handiwork” (Lamentations 3:64).
“Pay them retribution” – Jeremiah said: “Pay them retribution.” Asaf said: “Pay our neighbors retribution sevenfold to their bosom [ḥeikam]” (Psalms 79:12). What is “to their bosom [ḥeikam]”? Rabbi Yehuda ben Gadya said: Pay them retribution for what they did to the Temple that is situated in the foundation [ḥeiko] of the world, just as it says: “From the foundation in the ground to the [lower] ledge” (Ezekiel 43:14). The Rabbis say: What they did regarding circumcision, which is positioned in man’s bosom,⁸⁰The meaning here is that it is in the center of his body. as Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin and Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: They⁸¹The Amalekites would do this to the Israelites when they departed from Egypt. would take the circumcised organs of the Israelites and cast them upward, saying: This You chose; here is what You chose! Until Samuel arose and exacted retribution from them. That is what is written: “Samuel said: "Bring me Agag, king of Amalek” (I Samuel 15:32), and it is written: “Samuel slashed Agag…” (I Samuel 15:33).
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: He began chopping his flesh into numerous pieces and fed it to the ostriches. That is what is written: “It will consume the branches of his skin” (Job 18:13). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: He brought four posts and stretched him upon them. “Agag said: Indeed, the bitterness of death is at hand [sar]” (I Samuel 15:32). Is this the way one kills princes, with bitter deaths? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: He castrated him, because he would take the circumcised organs and cast them upward. For this, retribution was exacted from him. That is what is written: “Samuel said: Just as your sword made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women” (I Samuel 15:33). “He slashed” – it teaches that he sliced him into four pieces.
“May you give them hardness of heart, Your curse upon them” (Lamentations 3:65).
“May you give them hardness of [meginat] heart” – two amora’im: One said: Heartbreak, and one said: Strength of heart.⁸²The amora’im discussed the true meaning of the term meginat. One said it means heartbreak due to suffering. The other said it means strength of heart to endure a lot of suffering without dying. The one who said heartbreak, it is as it is stated: “Who delivered [migen] your enemies into your hand” (Genesis 14:20).⁸³Just as the term migen here indicates that the enemies were broken, the word meginat regarding the heart means heartbreak. The one who said: Strength of heart, as it is written: “The shield [magen] of your protection” (Deuteronomy 33:29).
“Your curse [taalatekha] upon them” – suspend [teli] them⁸⁴Suspend them between life and death. in suffering. Bring upon them all the curses [alot] in the Torah, just as it says: “The Lord your God will place all these curses [alot] on your enemies, and on those who hate you…” (Deuteronomy 30:7).

Remember what Amalek did to you (Deuteronomy 25:17). May our rabbi teach us how one who passes among the graves is obligated to recite the blessing, "Blessed is He who knows the number of all of you," even though some of our rabbis say that he is obligated to recite the blessing, "Blessed is He who knows the number of all of you." The incident of Rabbi Chayya and Rabbi Nathan, who were walking in the cemetery, and one of them recited the blessing, "Blessed is He who knows the number of all of you." His companion said to him, "Do the dead know anything?" His companion said to him, "There is nothing between the dead and the living but mere talk, as it is written, "The righteous shall rise up in honor, they shall sing praises upon their beds" (Psalms 149:5). Indeed, if a person were to pass among the graves and know that a righteous person is buried there, he should remember him in his deeds. Solomon said, "Remember the righteous for blessings" (Proverbs 10:7). Reish Lakish said, "When God, blessed be He, reminds a righteous person of what He has done, He reminds him of good, as it is written, "And the Lord said, 'I am the One who covers over Abraham, that which I do' (Genesis 18:17)." What does it mean to say, "And Abraham would have been a great and mighty nation, etc." (Ibid., 18) and so on. When the Holy One, blessed be He, reminded him, He reminded him for good, and He remembered the days of eternity. Moses served [and] (Isaiah 63:11). But when He came to mention the wicked, He reminded him for evil, and who was it? It was Amalek. When He came to make war with Israel, what did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Moses? It is written in the book of Exodus 17:14? Moses said to him, "The Lord of the worlds, the righteous, wrote in them a remembrance." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "He revived the remembrance of the righteous in order to give them a reward in the future. The remembrance of the wicked in order to redeem them and erase their names from what they called in the matter of remembering what is written, etc., and blot out the remembrance of Amalek: [Remember what is written, etc.] Thus Rabbi Tanchuma began in me, Rabbi Abba, in the name of Rabbi Tanchum bar Hanilai, who said, "Your remembrance is like ashes, concerning the dust of your backs" (Job 13:12). Job said this verse against all his companions when those same afflictions befell him and they were harsh words against him. Job said to them, "Your remembrance is like ashes. How can you deceive the people who see you and think that you are righteous like Abraham, who made himself of ashes, as it is said, "I am dust and ashes" (Genesis 18:27) and you are nothing but with regard to the material of your backs, the flood ball, and like those who wrote about them, and the clay was their material (Isa. 11:3)?" Another thing about your remembrance is like ashes, speaking against Israel, to whom the Blessed One said, "I command you to be mindful of two remembrances," as it is said, "Remember what He has done," etc. "Blot out the memory of Amalek," etc. "But know that if you do not remember them and call upon them every year that I will return you to the slavery of Egypt," as it is said in the matter of clay and bricks (Exodus 1:14), "Remember what Amalek did to you." Remember this: Rabbi Tanchuma began, "Rabbi, in the name of Rabbi Job, the one who said, "Do not be like a horse or a mule, who does not understand the bit and bridle, to stop them, for they are near you." (Psalms 11:3) 32:9) The Holy One, blessed be He, says to Israel, "O Israel, be understanding among you. Do not be like a horse that has no understanding. What is the business of a horse that a man goes to give it jewelry or food, and it twists its neck and kicks it? And so is the mule. And you, do not be like that. But be understanding among you. (When you enter) the land, remember to repay it with good (its good) and with evil (its evil)." How is it written, "You shall not abhor an Edomite" (Deuteronomy 23:8)? Why, because he is your brother (there) whether good or bad, your brother is you shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were strangers in his land (there) whether good or bad, you did with them for a few years. But Amalek, remember what Amalek did to you: 1. Remember [thus], Rabbi Tanchuma opened it with me. Rabbi Zacharias, may he remember the iniquity of his fathers to the Lord, and do not blot out the sin of his mother (Psalms 19:14). He does not say the iniquity of his father, but the iniquity of his fathers, you are the iniquity of his fathers. The origin of Esau the wicked, who did not sin against Israel alone, but many sins, sinned against the Holy One, sinned against Israel, sinned against his brothers, sinned against (his mother) [his father], sinned against Abraham. Let the iniquity of his ancestors be remembered. How he sinned against the Holy One, blessed be He, burned the Torah and burned the Temple. Sinned against Israel, burned, killed, and exiled. Sinned against his brothers. The days of mourning for my father are drawing near [and she killed my brother Jacob] (Genesis 27:41) and fled from him, sinned against (his mother) [his father], he went and carried away the news. And they were smoking before Akkum, and Isaac smelled and his eyes were dimmed, as it is said, And his eyes were dimmed (Ibid., I Revealing incest and shedding blood Therefore, as soon as Abraham had done so, Jacob was sitting and cooking lentils. Esau came and said to him, "What did you see, sitting and cooking lentils?" He said to him, "Because he died in my old age, and I sit and mourn and grieve, so that he may know how I grieved for him, and when the dead live in the future, he will be (loved) [loved]." He said to him, "You are foolish. Do you think that when a man dies and ends up in the grave that he will live in the future? And he denies the resurrection of the dead. Behold, I am going to die." (Genesis 25:32) He said to him, "And what about the birthright that you think is worthless? Give me a bowl of these lentils and I will give it to you." And Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew [and] Esau despised the birthright (Ibid. 34) (Why) [did] he not do so but sell it to him? He began to seek (to kill her) [to kill him], and he accepted it for his father. He called his name Jacob [and] he took my birthright (Ibid. 27:36) Rebekah felt that he was foolish and said to Jacob, "Now then, My son, listen to my voice and arise, flee to your place (Ibid. 43). Jacob stands and leaves his father and mother and goes into exile from him to places he did not know and does twenty-two years except for his father, who is found. He says, "Just as he sinned against his mother [his father] and against our elders, so he sinned against his brothers." David, the son of Rabshakeh, said, "Remember the iniquity of his fathers: And the sin of his mother, do not blot out." What is the sin of his mother? Rabbi Yehuda says, "When he comes out of his mother's womb, he cut off her foreskin." Thus says the Lord concerning the three transgressions of Edom [and] and the corruption of his womb. (Amos 1:11) And Rabbi Nehemiah says, "He caused her not to stand. The twelve tribes, and our rabbis said, "What is the sin of her mother that they brought her out at night when she died from his presence." And she obeyed. Thus she said, "Jacob the righteous, my son, is not here. Isaac the righteous, my husband, is sitting in the house because his eyes are like this. He will bring me out by day, and this wicked man will walk before my bed." And they will say, "Oh, how glorious is this that he has suckled, that is why she commanded to bring her out at night, because when mothers died, they would come out by day." And it was made public to them, and everyone came and repaid the bread of charity, Rabbi Yossi ben Hanina, and this is because they brought her out at night, her death was not recorded as Sarah's, as it is said, "And Sarah died, etc." (Genesis 23:2) and Deborah, Rebecca's wet nurse, died (Ibid. 35:8). Deborah's death was published, Rabbi Aba, in the name of Rabbi Yossi ben Hanina, because it was not made public to her as a mother, her death was not published, even the scriptures did not publish her death. And the sin of his mother, do not blot out, and do not remember the sin of his mother, says the Holy One, Blessed be He. All (I will make restitution) [pay] him for all the wrongs of his father. All (his) wrongs of his mother (will make restitution) [pay] him for all the wrongs of our ancestors (will make restitution) [pay] him for all the wrongs of his brothers. All (I will make restitution) [pay] him for all the wrongs that he did in my house. They will remember him to blot out his name from the world. Remember what Amalek did to you. [And] you will blot out the memory of him. Amalek: Another thing to remember is that the Scripture says, "The rebuke of the nations is the destruction of the wicked. Their name shall be remembered forever and ever." (Psalms 9:6) The rebuke of the nations are the nations that counsel evil counsel at all times against Israel, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will thwart them. You have destroyed the wicked. This is the wicked man who remained of the seed of Amalek and sought to destroy Israel. Their name shall be remembered forever and ever. You will blot out the memory of Amalek. Remember what Amalek did to you: And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men" (Exodus 17:9). Hence, a man should give honor to his disciples like him. How many righteous men did you say, "And two men were left in the camp," etc. (Numbers 11:26). That is, valiant men. And the bread came out. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill [with the staff of God in my hand] against Amalek (Exodus 13:13). Moses said to Joshua, "Go out and fight against Amalek, and I will stand on the top of the hill." Rabbi Isaac said to the robbers who had entered the city, a force came out to fight them. There was a widow's son there. He said to them, "Behold, I will go up to the roof and watch while you fight. Go out and fight, and I will stand on the top of the hill." And I (will stand) [stand] It is not written here, and I [will stand] except, and I [will stand] (by right) I [will stand] [by right] I [will stand] [by right] I [will stand] by right of the laws, as it is written, I will stand in the controversy of the Lord and stand in judgment with the peoples (Isaiah 3:13): The head by right of the fathers, for from the head of the mountains I will show myself (Numbers 23:9): The hill is the mother of the mountains, as it is said, and from the hills of Assyria, ours (there), and the staff by right of (Moses and the Gods) [the staff of God] (if) [perhaps] we can stand upon it. Why do we come in the merit of the fathers in this way? They come in the merit of the fathers: i.e. Why did Moses say to Joshua, "Bring out bread, because he is of the sons of Rachel, who was born in the way, and all those who are behind you will be deceived by you [and] and will not fear God (Deuteronomy 25:18). i.e. Why did Esau fall into the hands of Joseph, but Joseph was a little one, the son of old age, and Esau, behold, I have given you among the nations (Obadiah 1:2) Esau, the little one (whom I called), will come and fall into the hands of Joseph, the little one: i.e. All the tribes participated in the sale of Joseph, therefore none of the tribes (could) [could] intermarry with him who they could not marry and give with him. i.e. Esau was the firstborn and through his evil deeds he lost his birthright, Joseph was the little one and through his good deeds he earned the birthright, his good deeds will come and atone for Esau, who was the firstborn and lost his birthright through his evil deeds. Joseph acknowledged the resurrection of the dead, "May God acknowledge you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you" (Exodus 13:19). And make atonement for the resurrection of the dead, for I am about to die, etc. (Genesis 25:32). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Come, Joseph, who acknowledged the resurrection of the dead, and repay Esau, who made atonement for the resurrection of the dead." Joseph grew up between two wicked men, Potiphar [and Pharaoh], and did not learn from their deeds. Esau grew up between two righteous men, and did not learn from their deeds. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, "Come, Joseph, who grew up between two wicked men, and did not learn from their deeds. And repay Esau, who did not learn from their deeds. Joseph came, who repaid his brothers good for evil, and Esau repaid evil for good." Said the Holy One, blessed be He, "Come, Joseph, etc. Joseph gave his life for his mother's honor, and Esau sought to kill his mother [When he left, he cut off his mother's foreskin because he had pursued him with his brother's sword and had destroyed his womb (Ovadiah, there). The Blessed One said, "Joseph, who gave his life for his mother's honor, will come and repay Esau who sought to kill his mother." And where do we find in Joseph giving his life for his mother's honor, except when Jacob returned to his father's house, because he had come to harm Esau? What did he do? He made his sons and the mothers pass by, and each one of them and her sons would pass by and bow down before Esau, as it is said, "And the maidservants and their children drew near and bowed down, and Leah also drew near and her children and bowed down" (Genesis 33:6-7). But Rachel saw what was written, and later Joseph and Rachel drew near (there), and Rachel and Joseph bowed down. It is not written here, but Joseph and Rachel. Why did he say, "There is no woman so beautiful as my mother," and this wicked man is suspected of adultery? He gave himself first and stood before her so that she would not see him, Esau, whose father was Kalsu son of Porat, Yosef son of Porat, Eli-Ein (Ibid. 49:22). What is Eli-Ein (who covered) [who covered] the eye of that wicked one from your mother: I.e. Esau defiled himself with fornication and bloodshed, which Rabbi Avoah demanded for [five] (seven) years, etc. And Yosef fenced himself off from transgression and from shedding blood from his private parts and refused and said to his master's wife, etc. (Ibid. 30:8) and from shedding blood as it is said, "You have thought evil of me," etc. (Ibid. 50:20) and therefore one will fall by the hand of the other. Another thing is that Esau sought to kill his brother for pursuing him with the sword of his brother (Obadiah there), and Yosef comforted his brother and his fornication and his adultery And of Joseph it is written, "I fear God" (ibid. 42:18). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi also said, "In the future, the heads of the tribes will come to mate with the she-goat of Esau, and he will not fall into their hands. And since the she-goat of Joseph comes and mates with him, he will immediately fall before him, for which reason all When one by one he came to mate with him, he immediately dismissed him in the answers to Reuben, saying, "You are suspected of your father's wife." To Simeon and Levi, saying, "You also killed Shechem." And to Judah, saying, "You are also suspected of your daughter-in-law." And to all the tribes, he dismissed him by saying, "You have sold your brother." Since Joseph's servant came to mate with him, he immediately fell before him, having nothing to return. And the house of Jacob was a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame (Obadiah 1:18). And immediately they kindled them and devoured them, and there was no remnant of the house of Esau (ibid.). Behold, they were as stubble [fire], which you burned up [they will not save their lives from the hand of the flame] (Isaiah 47:14). With the leaders of all the tribes, Esau's servant could carry and give, but with Joseph they could not save their lives from the hand of the flame. And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us," etc. Until Moses built an altar and called it the name of the Lord, "My miracles" (names there) (You have done) [We have done], he does not say here, but the Lord, "My miracles by His grace were done." Miracles. The Lord tried them, and I will try them, and you will speak of them. Another word from the Lord's miracles, which were great in this assembly of the ship: The Lord tried them, Rabbi Yehoshua the priest, son of Rabbi Nehemiah, to the king whose wife angered him, he was angry with her and went down to the market and went to the goldsmith, and he did for her a miracle. And what about the time when he angered him, a miracle happened to her when she was doing his will? So much the more so if at the time when they were angry and said, "Is the Lord among us or not?" (Ibid., 7) the Lord worked miracles for them, the Lord worked miracles for them when they were doing his will. And Moses' hands were heavy (ibid.) Rabbi Yehoshua said, "Moses' hands will be heavy because of the many sins of Israel, who said, 'There is a God,' and Rabbi Abbahu said, "Moses' hands were heavy like two jars of water, and the priest's knees were hanging on them." Rabbi Bei said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Their weights are heavy.'" They received the Torah, they received the Tablets of the Covenant, they received the Ten Commandments, they brought ten plagues upon Pharaoh, they parted the sea and led Israel. And Moses' hands were heavy, and they took a stone. There was no precious stone or pillow to put under it, but a stone. Rabbi Acha, to inform you that when Israel was in trouble, even their elders grieved with them. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, Aaron by virtue of the priesthood, and Hur by virtue of the kingdom. On one side, one on the other, by virtue of the commandments that he wrote. On the other side, they are written (ibid. 32:15). And his hands were faith, what is faith? By virtue of Moses' hands and by the sorrow that Amalek grieved. He falls before them and his sun does not set and his seed remains (and when will his sun set and his seed remain:) And when will his sun set and his egg be tattooed and his seed takes root from the world when it comes, which he wrote in it and he was a master of the Hadassah (Esther 2:7) the Lord and his hands are a faith from what until the sun comes (when it comes) [when it comes] a master of the sun comes. [And he weakened, etc.] and Joshua did not say so, but Joshua weakened Amalek in such a way that he weakened and remained (and Joshua weakened Amalek). And he said that the hand is on the throne of the Lord, Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov, the Blessed One swore by his throne that he would not accept a stranger from the seed of the Amalekites. Therefore, when a messenger came to David and he asked, "Who are you?" (2 Samuel 1:13) and he said, "Son of a man, a stranger, an Amalekite, I am (there)." And they did not accept David, Rabbi Yitzchak, the Edomite, was worried. That is, because the hand is on the throne of the Lord, Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, all While the seed of Amalek existed as if the face was covered, his seed was uprooted from the world, the face that was as if covered was revealed, and your teachers will no longer be afraid, and your eyes will see your teachers (Isaiah 30:20). That is, because Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, in the name of Rabbi Alexander, said that since Amalek stretched out his hands against the throne of the Holy One, blessed be He, and Jerusalem became the throne of the Lord (Jeremiah 3:17), immediately he was uprooted from the world. One scripture says, "War for the Lord with Amalek" (Exodus 3:17), and another scripture says, "You shall blot out the memory of Amalek until he stretches out his hand in Jerusalem." You shall blot out the memory of Amalek, because he stretched out his hand against the Lord with Amalek. I.e., on the throne of YHWH, He does not say so, but YHWH, Rabbi Levi, in the name of Rabbi Hama, in the name of Rabbi Hanina, as if to say, as long as the seed of Amalek is in the world, neither the name is complete nor the throne is complete. The seed of Amalek, the throne is complete and the name is complete, David said, "The enemy is destroyed forever, and the cities are destroyed, their memory is lost." (Psalms 9:7) What did he write after him? And YHWH will forever sit, established for judgment on His throne (Ibid., 8): I.e., remember this, Rabbi Tanchuma, in the name of Rabbi Return to our neighbors, the seven times, to their lap, the reproach that they have dishonored you, O Lord (Psalms 9:12). Jeremiah says, "Return to them the recompense of the Lord according to the work of their hands" (Lamentations 3:34). And David said, "Return to our neighbors, the seven times, to their lap." Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nehemiah, may God be pleased with them, say, "They said, 'Israel, Lord of the worlds,' what they have done to us, return to them the recompense of their hands, and what they have done in Your temple." Return to our neighbors, the seven times, to their lap. Rabbi Shuna said, "There is no lap except the Temple, and the lap of the earth to the lowest level." (Ezekiel 43:14). And Rabbi Nehemiah says, "They said, 'Israel, the Lord of hosts, what they have done to us, return to them the recompense of the Lord according to the work of their hands, and for burning Your Torah, which is written in it, 'Refined seven times' (Psalms 12:7). Return to our neighbors, the seven times, to their lap." Rabbi Hanina ben Shalom and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnan, in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, what is written, "Return to their lap, the reproach that they have done to them, teaches that they were They cut off the circumcision that is in the bosom and throw it up high and scorn and revile it and say upwards, "This is what you desire, for it is thrown before you." And where did you learn from what was written above about the matter, and she put out her hand and took hold of his private parts (Deuteronomy 23:11) and what was written after the matter, "Remember what Amalek did to you:" 1. Remember our rabbis [from the south] in the name of Rabbi Shmuel (from the necessary) We begin with the parsha, "Did you not know if you did not hear, even since you did not open your ear, for I know that you will commit treachery [and transgression from your womb has called you]" (Isaiah 45:8) Speaking against Amalek and against Haman, who came from the descendants of Amalek, the Blessed One said, "O wicked one, you have intermarried with my sons. Nor did you know the miracles that I performed for them in Egypt, how many times have you been written, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord (Exodus 14:4) Nor did you hear the miracles that I performed for them at sea, the nations will hear and be provoked (Isa. 15:14) Even since you did not open your ear, for I know that you will commit treachery [and transgression from your womb has called you]" (Isaiah 45:8) Your ears have not heard the song that my sons have said to me at the sea. Then Moses and the children of Israel will sing (Ibid. Ibid. 1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "You knew and heard, but you are stubborn, for I know that you will betray with treachery. And from now on you will be stubborn, but until you are in your mother's womb and you are a sinner, but in your lifetime, a craftsman is devoted to you, and what am I preparing for you to hang you on a beam, as it is said, "He calls you." A "R" and fifty cubits, and from where does he call you "L"Kh 30 thirty twenty twenty, then fifty? O remember what Amalek did to you: Ibid. 1. Remember what Rabbi Barachiah said in my rabbi, why is the matter similar to a king who had an orchard and had one dog sitting and guarding the orchard? The son of the king's lover came to steal from the orchard. The dog stood up and bit him. When the king asked his son not to mention the son of his lover who wanted to steal from his orchard, he would say to him, "Remember what that dog did to you." Thus Israel sinned at Rephidim, and they said, "Is the Lord among us?" (Ibid. 17:7). And immediately The dog came and bit him. This was Amalek, as it is said, "And Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim" (Ibid., 8). And when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to remind Israel of the sin they committed at Rephidim, He would say, "Do you remember that Amalek who came against you? Remember what Amalek did to you." As for the way, Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nehemiah, and our masters, Rabbi Yehuda says, "As for the way, what did the wicked Amalek do?" He related the genealogy of the names of the Israelites who died in Egypt. And he stood before him in a cloud of honor, and called each one by name, and said, "So-and-so, son of so-and-so, come out, for I want to trade with you." (And he immediately went out.) And he killed the one who called you. And Rabbi Nehemiah says, "As for the way, which made you unclean, as it is said, "It will not be clean if it happens at night" (Deuteronomy 23:11). And our masters said, "As for the way, which made you cold, made you cold as water, as it is said, "Cold water to a weary soul" (Proverbs 25:25). Ar Huna, according to the M.A.D., to boiling baths, from which everyone was fleeing. One of them came and jumped into it and it melted immediately, and they all came and washed (into it) [into it]. Thus Israel, when they were coming out of Egypt, were fleeing from them, when they heard that the nations were angry, then they were afraid, etc. (Exodus 15:14 and 15). Amalek came and melted them. [And he snared at you] What is it, and he snared at you, the stroke of the tail? You learned from Samuel, and Samuel beheaded Agag (1 Samuel 15:33). Rabbi Yitzchak said, Castrate them, as your sword consumed women, so will your mother consume women (ibid.). He said to him, Just as you did to Israel in Egypt, so I have done to you (that I would have) [that you would have] castrated them and made their women sit in a state of aguna. And Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said, He would cut off his body like a censer and feed it to the Naomi, he who wrote, "The Blessed One said to them, 'My son, you have nothing but to be (read) the Amalek parshat every year and above, I am (upon them) [upon you] as if you were wiping out his name from the world.' Rabbi Yitzchak said, 'We find that Joshua sought to wipe out the memory of Amalek, as it is said, "And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword" (Exodus 17:13). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Your life is up to now. King Saul is destined to rise up from Benjamin and root out the seed of Amalek, as it is said, "From Ephraim, who was written in Amalek after you, Benjamin among your peoples," etc. (Judges 5:14).

A Song of Ascents. I lift my eyes to the mountains, etc. David said a song of ascents that raises us up to a level from which we will never again descend to the subjugation of the kingdom of Esau. As it is said, "And saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau." (Obadiah 1:21) The people of Israel say to God, "We will sing to You a song about that level to which You raised us up from the kingdom." Therefore, it is said, "I lift my eyes to the mountains." What are the mountains? On the day when God comes to judgment, and Israel looks to their forefathers who will speak in their favor, there will be no father who can save his son, and no man who can save his brother from that calamity. At that moment, they will lift their eyes to their Father in heaven and say, "For You are our Father, for Abraham did not know us, etc." (Isaiah 63:16) God will say to them, "You know who helps you make heaven and earth. Let not your foot slip." What is meant by "let not your foot slip?" When everyone else is slipping into Gehenna, you will not be among them. As it is said, "The steps of the righteous are guarded by God." (1 Samuel 2:9) And it is written, "Bless our God, O nations, etc." (Psalm 66:8) What are you blessing God for? "Our soul waits for God; He is our help and our shield." (Psalm 33:20) "Behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps." (Psalm 121:4) Is there sleep in heaven? Heaven forbid! Thus, the verse says, "I saw a dream, and it made me afraid, etc." (Daniel 4:5) And it is written, "According to the decree of the watchmen, etc." (Daniel 4:14) From here, we learn that there is no sleep in heaven. "Let not your foot slip," refers to the troubles that will come upon Israel in this world. The Lord may cause such troubles, but the righteous must not lose faith. As Asaph said, "Awake, why do You sleep, O Lord?" (Psalm 44:24) The prophets prophesy and weep, saying, "The Lord said, "I cannot forget you." As Isaiah says (Isaiah 49:15), "Can a woman forget her nursing child?" Therefore it is said, "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!" (Psalm 137:5) Not only Jerusalem, but Zion is also mentioned in our memory. As it says, "If I do not remember you, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy." (Psalm 137:6) Wherever one stands in prayer, he must mention Jerusalem, as it says, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper that love thee." (Psalm 122:6) In the grace after meals, one must say, "May the builder of Jerusalem be praised." In the Prophets, Jerusalem is also mentioned. Therefore it is said, "If I do not remember you, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth." (Psalm 137:6) This is like the ashes placed on the heads of the groom and bride during their wedding celebration. Therefore it is said, "If I do not elevate Jerusalem above my highest joy." (Psalm 137:6) Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom. Why does it say "Edom" when Babylon destroyed the Temple first? Because it was prophesied that the Temple would be rebuilt, but Edom would destroy it. Therefore it is said, "Remember, O Lord, against the children of Edom." (Psalm 137:7) God said to him, "How shall I remember?" He replied, "Remember the day when the son of Titus' sister entered the Temple with a sword in his hand and proceeded to drag it around until blood flowed out and he left boasting that he had killed." (Isaiah 63:1-6) "For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears; for a comforter is far from me, one to revive my courage; my children are desolate, for the enemy has prevailed." (Lamentations 1:16) "If it is not for our sake, remember for your own sake. (Psalm 115:21) Remember your reproach from the fool. Therefore, it is said, 'Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites.' (Psalm 137:7) The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, 'You say to Me, "Remember," but I say to you, "You are also to remember," as it is written, "Remember what Amalek did to you."' (Deuteronomy 25:17) For one who forgets himself does not seek to be remembered. This can be compared to a king whose kingdom existed as long as he was healthy, but when he fell ill, his kingdom ceased to exist. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'You are in exile, and like a sick person, it appears that My kingdom does not exist. When will I be king? When you emerge from exile, and My kingdom is restored, as it is written, 'And saviors shall ascend Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord's' (Obadiah 1:21). Another explanation of 'Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites,' is that He said to Israel, 'Under one day, I will bring upon them ten days of distress,' as it is said, 'Blow the shofar in Zion...for the day of the Lord is coming.' (Joel 2:1) 'For the day of the Lord is near.' (Obadiah 1:15) 'Why do you long for the day of the Lord? It is darkness, not light.' (Amos 5:18) For all these days, I will bring upon them days of distress in one day, which they brought upon themselves. Therefore, we say, 'The day of Jerusalem,' and we say, 'Wake up, wake up,' etc. A fool would act like a thief who sneaks in to steal, or like an army that enters a country, and then asks if they are being searched for only after they have gone to the depths. But you did not do so. Instead, you said, 'Wake up, wake up,' etc." Therefore it is said, "Awake, awake, etc." "O devastated daughter of Babylon, etc." Why was Edom called the daughter of Babylon? Just as Babylon destroyed the Temple, so did Edom. Therefore, it is said, "daughter of Babylon." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her, "Fortunate are you who will be rewarded for what you have done to us." "What have you done to us?" They asked. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, "You and they were both rewarded together, and not only Israel was rewarded for the evils, but you and they were rewarded together." Therefore it is said, "Fortunate is he who seizes and dashes your children against the rock." (Psalm 137:8) The Lord said, "I myself will dash your children, just as in this world your children were dashed. We did not hear that in the destruction of the Temple, the children of Israel were dashed, but we heard that they were taken captive and burned with the women. We did not hear that the children were dashed. However, the Lord said, "As they did, so I will do to them" (Nahum 3:10-11), "Cush and Egypt were your strength," "You too will go into exile," "You will benefit as well." Therefore it is said, "Fortunate is he who seizes and dashes your children against the rock." The Lord said, "Just as you dashed My children, who crowned Me as their King first and said, 'The Lord will reign,' so it says, 'From the mouths of babes and infants, You have established strength.'" Why is Edom called the daughter of Babylon? Babylon destroyed the Temple, and so did Edom. What one did, the other did. Therefore, it is called the daughter of Babylon. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her (Psalms 137:8), "Happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us." What have you done to us? God said to them, "You and they have both repaid, not just Israel. All the evil you did was also to me and to them." Therefore it is said (ibid. 9), "Happy is he who seizes and smashes your infants against the rock." God said, "I will personally smash your infants just as in this world your infants are smashed. We did not hear that in the destruction of the Temple, their infants were smashed. We heard that they went out in chains, burned the Temple, and lay with the women. We did not hear that the infants were smashed. But God said, just as they did, so will I do to them (Nahum 3:10-11), "And you, O Nineveh, shall be a heap of ruins." "But with me," said the Holy One, "were the Philistines and the Arabs." (Ibid. 11) "You too shall become drunk." Therefore it is said, "Happy is he who seizes and smashes your infants against the rock." God said, just as you smashed my infants, whom I had enthroned over you and they said (Exodus 15:18), "The Lord will reign," as it is said (Psalms 8:3), "From the mouths of infants and nursing babes." Therefore it is said, "Happy is he who seizes and smashes your infants against the rock." No more and no less. In the custom of the world, if someone strikes the son of a pharaoh or a king, his head is taken and he is burned or crucified. But God is not like that, rather "according to their deeds, so will he repay" (Isaiah 59:18). Therefore it is said, "according to your deeds" (Jeremiah 21:14). Similarly, in the book of Jeremiah it is written, "You will give them their due reward" (Lamentations 3:64). And it is written, "Give them according to their deeds" (Psalm 28:4). And it is written, "They will be caught in their own schemes" (Psalm 10:2). What is meant by "their own schemes"? They said, "Come, let us destroy them from being a nation" (Psalm 83:5). You shall do likewise to them, as it says, "Pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of the Lord" (Lamentations 3:66). God said, "And so I will do to them" (Obadiah 1:18), as it says, "There shall be no survivor of the house of Esau" (Obadiah 1:18). They said to Him, "But surely, will You not punish Pharaoh of Edom and Babylon?" He said to them, "Now I will punish them, as it says, 'And I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil they have done' " (Jeremiah 51:24).