MESSIAH OF THE MIDRASHIC PSALMS

“… Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said that in the days of the Messiah, the righteous will return to their original form, as it is said, ‘For the youth shall die at the age of one hundred years’ (Isaiah 65:20). If you say that there were less than one hundred years old during the Flood and they were destroyed, I say that they were punished for the sins of their ancestors, as it is said, ‘For all flesh had corrupted its ways’ (Genesis 6:12). Another interpretation: Why did God stop up the spring of Noah’s loins? So that he would not father many children who would be destroyed in the Flood. If you say that there were righteous people during the Flood, then why did God not make many arks? Therefore, God stopped up Noah’s loins for five hundred years. ‘Its leaves never wither’ (Psalm 1:3) refers to Ham, ‘and whatever he does prospers’ (Psalm 1:3) refers to all the wicked.”

“Kings of the earth will stand up, and rulers will band together, against the Lord and against His anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us.'” (Psalm 2:2-3) At some future time, the Messiah will say, “There is a certain nation that has rebelled against you,” and they will reply, “Gog and Magog will come and destroy it,” as it says, “He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11:4). When they see their great distress, they will come and bow before the Messiah, as it says, “Then the heads of the earth will kneel before him” (Isaiah 49:23).

“On Hashem and His Messiah. It is compared to a mighty warrior who was in a country, and when conscripts came to that country, they were afraid of that warrior and said, ‘What shall we do? Let us kill that warrior, and then we will unite with the country.’ So it is with them. Rabbi Berachiah said in the name of Rabbi Levi, ‘Cursed are the wicked who maintain a council against Israel, and each one says, “My counsel is better than yours.” Esau was foolish; Cain killed Abel while their father was still alive, not knowing that his father would procreate and increase. I do not do that, but rather as it is written, “Let my father’s days be prolonged.” Pharaoh was foolish; Esau said so, not knowing that his brothers married women and those women multiplied. I do not do that, but rather until the verdict of Kikin under the pillows of their mothers I plead for them, as it is written, “Every male who is born, you shall cast into the river.” Haman the wicked said, ‘Pharaoh was foolish who said so, not knowing that the girls marry men and those men procreate and increase.’ I do not do that, but rather as it is written, “To destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish.” Gog and Magog are destined to say the same, that the fools were the first to plot against Israel and did not know that they had a patron in heaven. I do not do that, but first I unite with my patron, and then I return to Israel. This is what is written, “On Hashem and His Messiah.” And the Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, ‘Gog and Magog, how many troops do I have before me, and how many lightning bolts, thunders, and flames? I will go with you to war,’ as it is said, ‘Hashem will go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies’ (Isaiah 42:13). What is written there? “And Hashem shall be king over all the earth.”‘ (Zechariah 14:9)”

“I will speak of the statutes; they are recounted in the law of the Torah, and in the laws of the prophets and the writings. In the law of the Torah (Exodus 4:22), ‘Israel is My firstborn son,’ in the laws of the prophets (Isaiah 52:13), ‘Behold, My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up.’ What is written afterwards (Isaiah 52:15), ‘So shall he startle many nations, kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which had not been told them shall they see, and that which they had not heard shall they perceive.’ In the writings (Psalms 110:1), ‘The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at My right hand.” What is written afterwards? (Psalm 110:4), ‘You are a priest forever, in the manner of Melchizedek.’ Rabbi Yudan said: all these retributions were given in accordance with the laws of the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. Why is this so? Because of his occupation with the Torah. ‘You are My son’ – from here we learn that he has a son. And when people say to him, ‘You have a son,’ he does not say, ‘I have a son,’ but rather, ‘You are My son,’ like a servant whom his master loves and says to him, ‘I hold you dear as my own son.’ Rabbi Huna said: the sufferings are divided into three parts: one part was taken by the patriarchs and all the generations; one part by the generation of the rebellion; and one part by the generation of the Messiah. And when the time comes, the Holy One, blessed be He, says, ‘It is upon me to create a new creation.’ And thus it says, ‘Today I have begotten you.’ At that time, a new creation was created. And it says (2 Samuel 3:3), ‘And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur.’ But wasn’t Absalom born to Adonijah’s mother? Isn’t this one the son of Maacah and that one the son of Haggith? But just as this one had chariots and horses, so did the other. And just as this one caused a dispute, so did the other. And just as this one had fifty runners before him, so did the other.”

Ask of me and I will give you the nations. If the nations are already your inheritance, as it is said (Psalm 72:8), “May he rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” And if the ends of the earth are already your possession, as it is said (ibid. 2:8), “From the rivers of Ethiopia to the ends of the earth,” then what did God mean when He said to three people, “Ask of Me,” namely, Solomon, Ahaz, and the Messiah? Solomon, as it is said (1 Kings 3:5), “Ask what I shall give you.” Ahaz, as it is said (Isaiah 7:11), “Ask a sign for yourself.” And why was he called Ahaz? Because he held on to the promise of bringing good to the world. Another explanation is that he seized upon the study of Torah in the study halls. The Messiah, as it is said, “Ask of me and I will give you the nations.” Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said, “We learned from the aggadah that Abraham and Jacob both asked of God. Abraham, as it is said (Genesis 15:2), “Lord God, what will You give me?” implying that he was asking. Jacob, as it is said (ibid. 28:20), “If God will be with me and will keep me,” implying that he was asking. And it is also said (Psalm 21:5), “You gave him his heart’s desire and did not withhold the request of his lips.” And what did he ask? He asked that Israel should live and endure forever.”

Another thing that angered them was when King David said that many of his generation would suffer greatly and die for the sanctification of God’s name. The Lord said to him that their sacrifices were not in vain, for their blood was more precious to Him than sacrifices. Rabbi Yehudah said in the name of Rabbi Idi that suffering was divided into three parts: one part was taken by the ancestors and all generations, one part by the generation of the destruction of the Temple, and one part by the generation of the Messiah. What did the generation of the destruction of the Temple do? They would bring iron balls and flatten them under their breasts, giving up their lives for the sanctification of God’s name. And they would also bring reeds and put them under their fingernails, and in this way, they died for the sanctification of God’s name.

“Therefore my heart rejoices, and my soul is glad; even my flesh shall rest in hope.” Rabbi Abbahu said, “Honor is exiled when children make use of it.” Another interpretation: “Therefore my heart rejoices in the words of the Torah, and my honor shall be revealed in the King Messiah who will come from me, as it is said, ‘For on every glory there shall be a covering’ (Isaiah 4:5). Even my flesh shall dwell in safety, after death.” Rabbi Isaac said, “This teaches that the worm and the maggot did not have power over King David’s body.”

“What is the meaning of the verse ‘I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted’? Rabbi Yudan said that this refers to what is written in Psalms 71:7, ‘I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge.’ David said, ‘I did not sing a song until I was disgraced and until four fell into my hand and until I had dominion over Baal of the fingers.’ So too, Israel does not sing a song until they are disgraced and until four fall into their hands and Baal of the fingers. This is the meaning of ‘I have become a sign to many, and you are my strong refuge.’ How did David become disgraced? He revealed the Philistine’s secrets (see 1 Samuel 17) and disgraced Israel, and cursed David, and he fell into his hand. And Baal of the fingers (see 2 Samuel 21:20) was a man from Judah with six fingers on each hand, and four of his descendants fell before David (see 2 Samuel 21:22). David spoke this song to the Lord (see 2 Samuel 22:1). Similarly, when the Messiah comes quickly in our days, we do not sing a song until the Messiah is disgraced, as it is written in Psalms 69:10, ‘Because zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.’ And until four wicked empires fall before him, as it is written in Zechariah 14:2, ‘I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem,’ and then the Lord will go out and fight. At that time, one should say a new song to the Lord, as it is written in Psalms 98:1, ‘Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.'”

“Say another thing and give me the shield of your salvation.” Speaking of Abraham, who was sitting while the Shechinah (divine presence) was standing. Rabbi Berechiah said in the name of Rabbi Levi, “Abraham wanted to stand up, but the Holy One, blessed be He, told him to remain seated, for it is a good sign for your children that they will sit while I stand, as it is written (Psalms 82:1), ‘God stands in the congregation of the mighty.'” Rabbi Samuel bar Chiya and Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Chanina that whenever the children of Israel praise the Holy One, blessed be He, He places His Shechinah upon them. Why is this so? As it is said (Psalms 22:4), “Yet You are holy, enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” Rabbi Simon said that when the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to Abraham, He regretted His words. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the angels, “Go to him, and the Shechinah will accompany you and delay him until you have gone,” as it is said (Genesis 18:22), “And the men turned from there.” Rabbi Simon said that this is the correction of the scribes: that the Shechinah stands and waits for him. “Your answer will increase me.”

Rabbi Chiya said, “When a disciple goes before his teacher at night, who lights his lamp? Not the disciple, but the Holy One, blessed be He, lights the lamp for Israel, as it is said (Exodus 13:21), ‘And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud.'” “Your answer will increase me.” Rabbi Lulianus said in the name of Rabbi Yishmael that in the custom of the world, the teacher speaks and the student answers. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so, as it is said (Exodus 19:19), “Moses will speak, and God will answer him with a voice.” “Your answer will increase me.” Ben Azai said, “A mortal king, when he mentions his name, first mentions his titles and only then his name. But the Holy One, blessed be He, first mentions His name and only then His titles, as it says, ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’ (Genesis 1:1). Woe to you who does not understand this!” Rabbi Abba said, “Have you seen the difference between the conduct of the teacher and the student in the world? When the teacher is engrossed in Torah study and says to the student, ‘You have wearied me with your questions,’ the student goes and waits for him. But the Holy One, blessed be He, taught the Torah to Israel for forty days, and at the end said, ‘You have wearied Me with your questions,’ as it says, ‘The Lord our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying…’ (Deuteronomy 1:6). Rabbi Shimon said, ‘In the practice of the world, the teacher and student stand together, and the teacher says to the student, ‘Go and wait for me in such-and-such a place,’ and the student goes and waits for him. But the Holy One, blessed be He, says to Ezekiel, ‘Arise, go to the valley, and there I will speak with you’ (Ezekiel 3:22). And it is written, ‘So I arose and went to the valley’ (Ezekiel 3:23). Woe to you who does not understand this!” Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Hama, “In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will seat the Messiah King at His right hand, as it says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand”‘ (Psalm 110:1). And Abraham will be at His left, and his face will be confused, and he will say, ‘The son of my son is sitting at Your right, and I am at Your left?’ And the Holy One, blessed be He, will appease him and say, ‘The son of your son is at My right, and you are at My right as well,’ as it says, ‘The Lord is at your right hand’ (Psalm 110:5). Woe to you who does not understand this!“

“Deliver me from my disputes, so that I will not be judged by them. Ben Azzai said that David said, ‘It is better for me to rule over the entire world than to rule over two rolls of bedding.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘David, My servant, I will make you a ruler over nations.’ ‘Deliver me from my enemies from Babylon, and from those who rise up against me from Media. Raise me from the gate of death, and rescue me from the hands of the violent.’ Therefore, I will praise You among the nations, O Lord. He who magnifies the salvation of His king and does kindness to His anointed, to David. What is written after him? ‘The heavens declare the glory of God.’ And likewise, when the Holy One, blessed be He, prepares the throne of David, everyone rejoices, as it is said, ‘I will establish your seed forever.’ What is written after that? ‘The heavens praise Your wonders, O Lord.’ One verse says ‘magnifies’ and one verse says ‘great’. Rabbi Yudan said that the redemption of this nation will not come all at once but little by little. And what is ‘magnifies’? It is because it grows and goes before Israel. Because they are now burdened with great troubles, and if redemption were to come all at once, they could not bear a great salvation that comes from great troubles. Therefore, it comes little by little and grows and goes. And therefore, redemption is compared to dawn, as it is said, ‘Then your light will break forth like the dawn.’ And why is it compared to dawn? Because there is no greater darkness than the one before dawn. And if the wheel of the sun rises at that moment, all creatures are captured. But the dawn rises and illuminates the world first, and then the wheel of the sun rises and illuminates, and no creature is captured. As it is said, ‘The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.’ And what is ‘great’, which is done for them when the Messiah comes, as a tower, as it is said, ‘He is great in salvation, his king.’ And it is written, ‘A tower of strength is the name of the Lord, to which the righteous run and are elevated.'”

“To David: The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? This is what is written (Isaiah 10:17): “And the light of Israel will become a fire, and his Holy One a flame.” In the custom of the world, people light a candle with their own matches. One might say that so-and-so who loves me will use my light, and so-and-so who hates me will not use my light. But everyone uses the light. However, the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that. Rather, “And the light of Israel will become a fire, and his Holy One a flame.” The righteous will see, and the wicked will not. This was already demonstrated in Egypt (Exodus 10:23): “But for all the children of Israel there was light.” (ibid 13:21) “And the Lord went before them by day.” And it is said (ibid 14:20) “And he gave light to them in the night.” And it is said (Micah 7:8) “When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light unto me.” Therefore it is said, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” (Psalms 27:1) And it is said (ibid 43:3) “Send forth your light and your truth.” (And an example for the future is said) “God created the light which is hidden away for the righteous to use in the future.” (Proverbs 13:9) “The light of the righteous rejoices.” And it is said (Genesis 1:4) “And God saw the light, that it was good.” Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Simon, said, “God separated the light for Himself, as it were.” A parable: A king who saw a beautiful garment and said, “This is mine.” Similarly, when God created the world, He said, “No creature can use it except for me.” And thus it is said (Daniel 2:22) “And with Him is light.” Rabbi Avin said, “God took it and wrapped Himself in it like a garment, and He brightened the world with its radiance.” And this is what is written (Psalms 104:2) “He wraps Himself in light as with a garment.” The Rabbis said, “He separated it for Himself in order to give it to the righteous in the future.” A parable: A king who had a beautiful garment and said, “This is for my son.” And thus it is said (Psalms 97:11) “Light is sown for the righteous.”

David said before the Lord, “Master of the Universe, when will the Messiah come?” He said to him, “When the end comes and Jerusalem is built, then I will bring him.” “And upon you, the Lord will shine. And if you wonder about this matter, the Holy One, blessed be He, has already shown an example to Israel, as it is stated (Exodus 14:20), ‘And there was a cloud and darkness.’ If there was a cloud, why was there darkness? And if there was darkness, why was there a cloud? Rabbi Hoshaya said, ‘There were two faces to the cloud; for Israel, it was light, and for Egypt, it was darkness.’ David said, ‘I sing about that light, as it is said, “The Lord is my light and my salvation” (Psalm 27:1).’ This is why the verse says (Psalm 119:105), ‘Your word is a lamp unto my feet.’ Why are the wicked compared to darkness? It is like someone who walks in the dark of night and stumbles upon a stone and falls. Then he reaches a thorn and falls into it. As it is said (Proverbs 4:19), ‘The way of the wicked is like darkness; they know not at what they stumble.’ Why are the righteous compared to light? It is like someone who walks with a torch in his hand. When he reaches a stone, he guards himself so as not to stumble. When he reaches a thorn, he guards himself so as not to fall into it. Thus, David said, ‘When I come to desecrate the Sabbath, the Torah enlightens me, as it is said (Deuteronomy 5:12), “Keep the Sabbath day holy.” When I come to commit adultery, the Torah enlightens me, as it is said (Leviticus 20:10), “The adulterer and adulteress shall surely be put to death.” This is what is meant by the verse (Psalm 119:105), ‘Your word is a lamp unto my feet.’ Another interpretation: If we say ‘lamp,’ why do we say ‘light?’ And if we say ‘light,’ why do we say ‘lamp?’ David said, ‘When I begin to study the Torah, I start with a little, and they flow from me. And when I enter into it, many gates open up for me.’ Therefore, it is said, ‘Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path’ (Psalm 119:105).”

“…The horn of the King Messiah (1 Samuel 2:10): ‘The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and He shall give strength unto His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.’ It is also said (Psalm 132:17), ‘There I will make a horn to bud for David.’…”

“Raise a song and strike the tambourine.” Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said, “The nevel (harp) is like a corpse (naveil).” Rabbi Shimon said, “The nevel is for itself, and the kinor (lyre) is for itself, and there are pegs and nails between them.” Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Assi, “Through the leather that is not worked and through the pegs and nails.” And why is it called nevel? Because it makes all kinds of music decay. Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Elai said, “In this world, it is through the pegs and nails (and how many pegs are there between them) that there are seven pegs in the kinor, as it says, ‘Seven times a day I praise You’ (Psalms 119:164). In the days of the Messiah, there will be eight, as it says, ‘For the conductor, on the eighth’ (Psalms 12:1). And in the future to come, there will be ten, as it says, ‘On me is a decade and a nevel (harp)’ (Psalms 92:4).”

“… There was a man who took a sapphire stone to test it. He put it on a sandstone and struck it with a hammer, and the sandstone broke, but the sapphire did not. ‘I will make your suns like shards of glass’ (Isaiah 54:12). Rabbi Berachiah said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, ‘Michael and Gabriel disagreed about this. Some say they will be made of sapphire and some say they will be beautiful.’ The Almighty said to Isaiah, ‘Both will be made, and I will make your suns like shards of glass, and your gates like the stones of a gun.’ Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel, ‘The great gate of Jerusalem has two mezuzot and two carvings of one stone.’ Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘Your gates will be made of large, good stones, ten by twenty cubits, and will be placed at the gates of Jerusalem.’ One of his disciples scoffed at this and said, ‘We don’t remember a simple tradition, how can we remember something so complex?’ Later, his ship sailed out to sea and he saw the ministering angels chiseling large and good stones, ten by twenty cubits. He asked them, ‘For whom are you doing this?’ They answered, ‘These will be placed at the gates of Jerusalem.’ When he returned and saw the fulfillment of the prophecy, he said, “Blessed are those who believe.’ Rika said to him, ‘If you had not seen it, you would not have believed it. You scoffed at the words of the sages, but when you set your eyes on it, a pile of bones was made.’ Rabbi Pinchas HaKohen Bar Chama related a story about a certain pious man who was traveling and was amazed at the following thought: “Is it possible that a gate with two mezuzahs and a stone threshold could rise ten cubits high?” He then saw a single stone rising from the sea to a height of twenty cubits. Be careful not to use your gates as gunstones, and let all your borders be made of precious stones. Rabbi Benjamin Bar Levi said, “In this world, people are busy digging their fields, but in the future, all your borders will be made of precious and good stones.” Rabbi Yudan said, ‘In the future, if a person owes his friend two or three gold coins, he will say to him, “Let us go to the King Messiah.” And they will go to him, and he will say to him, “What do I owe you two or three gold coins for?” Take it from here that gold and silver before the King Messiah are like dust, as it is said, “The Lord is your boundary and your peace.”’ The sons of Korach asked him, ‘When will you do this?’ He replied, “I will tell you that we will sing and praise.” Woe to the sons of Korach who sing a psalm whose foundation is in the holy mountains. The foundation of the world is in the merit of the two mountains of holiness, Mount Sinai and Mount Moriah. Rabbi Pinchas said in the name of Rabbi Reuben, ‘God will bring to Sinai, Tabor, and Carmel and give Jerusalem precedence over them, as it is said, ‘The mount of the Lord’s house shall be established at the top of the mountains.”’ Rabbi Chanina said, ‘Not only that, but it will be a time of singing, and they will respond to him with songs and praises, as it is said, “And he will lift up from the hills.”’ The word ‘lift up’ only means singing, as it is said, ‘And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for the singing.’”

“For all our days have passed away in Your wrath… Rabbi Yehuda says this refers to bitterness, and the Rabbis say it refers to a youth that is cut off. We have completed our years… Our days pass away with toil and trouble… Rabbi Chanina bar Yitzchak said even his kingdom was toil and trouble, as it says ‘I will recall Rahav and Babylon…’ The Rabbis say it refers to harsh shearing and afflictions. Rabbi Yudan said, nevertheless, there were good deeds in it. Who knows the strength of Your anger? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said, perhaps transgression has filled up your hand. Who knows the strength of Your anger? Rabbi Chanina bar Yitzchak said, whoever advances the Day of Judgment in this world, his sins come first. Let us calculate our years, so that we may bring wisdom to our hearts. Rabbi Eliezer said, repent one day before your death. His students asked, does a man know on which day he will die? He answered, therefore, one should repent every day, lest he die tomorrow, and thus all his days will be spent in repentance. Let us calculate our years so that we may bring wisdom to our hearts. Return, O Lord; how long will it be? Rejoice us according to the days You afflicted us, the years we have seen evil. Such are the days of the Exile in Babylonia, in Media, and in Edom. Another interpretation: such are the days of the Messiah. How many will be the days of the Messiah? Rabbi Eliezer says, a thousand years, as it is said, ‘A day that is like a thousand years.’ Rabbi Yehoshua says, two thousand years, as it is said, ‘For the days of our life are seventy years,’ and seventy times two is one hundred and forty. And the day of the Holy One, blessed be He, is one thousand years, as it is said, ‘A thousand years in Your eyes are like yesterday.’ Rabbi Baruchya says six hundred years, as it is said, ‘The days of my people will be like the days of a tree.’ And it is learned that this workshop is done in the earth for six hundred years. Rabbi Yosei says sixty years, as it is said, ‘Before the moon, for generation of generations.'” Generation follows generation; one generation passes away, and another generation comes. According to Rabbi Akiva, a generation is forty years, as it says, “As the days of our years, so is our life” (Psalms 90:10), which is likened to the forty years that our ancestors spent in the wilderness, as it says, “And He afflicted you, and let you hunger” (Deuteronomy 8:3). However, the Sages say that a generation is three hundred and fifty-four years, corresponding to the number of days in the lunar year, as it says, “And the year of my redemption has come” (Isaiah 63:4). Rabbi Abbahu says that a generation is seven thousand years, corresponding to the seven days of the week, as it says, “For a young man shall marry a virgin” (Isaiah 62:5), and just as a wedding lasts seven days, so too a generation lasts seven thousand years.

“The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. The scripture says (Jeremiah 10:7), ‘Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?’ The Lord said to Jeremiah, ‘But am I not the King of Israel?’ Jeremiah replied, ‘Because You have said to me (Jeremiah 1:5), “I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations,” therefore I call You the King of the nations.’ ‘Go and take possession of the kingship,’ said the Lord. ‘The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty.’ Rabbi Chanina said, ‘You have a garment that is becoming to You, but Your garment does not become You.’ But the Holy One, blessed be He, has a garment that is becoming to Him and His garment becomes Him, as it is said, ‘The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty.’ The Lord has seven garments. One is for the war with the sea, as it is said, ‘The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty’ – this is the war with the sea, as it is said (Exodus 15:1), ‘I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted.’ One is for the war of Sinai, as it is said (Psalm 29:11), ‘The Lord will give strength to His people.’ This corresponds to the strength that He gave to His people at Sinai. One is for the war of Babylon, as it is said (Isaiah 59:17), ‘He put on garments of vengeance for clothing.’ And so it says (Jeremiah 46:10), ‘For it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance for His Temple.’ One is for the war of Media, as it is said (Isaiah 61:10), ‘He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me in a robe of righteousness.’ And so it says (Esther 8:15), ‘And Mordechai went out from the king’s presence.’ One is for the war of Greece, as it is said (Isaiah 59:17), ‘And He put on righteousness like a breastplate.’ So too, the Hasmoneans were dressed in garments of zeal. One is for the war of Edom, as it is said (Isaiah 63:1), ‘Who is this who comes from Edom, with garments of glowing colors?’ And the seventh is for the days of the Messiah, as it is said (Daniel 7:9), ‘His clothing was white as snow.‘”

“Even the world was not stable, Rabbi Abbahu said a parable: What is this matter like? It is like a king who first conquered a certain province. The leader of the province gave the king a cornerstone that did not move from its place. Similarly, when the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, the earth shook and said, ‘I am not stable.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to it, ‘I will give you a cornerstone,’ as it is written, ‘He founded the earth upon its bases; it shall not falter forever and ever.’ (Psalms 104:5) True is Your throne from the beginning. This is one of seven things that were created before the world was created, and they are: the Throne of Glory, as it is written, ‘True is Your throne from the beginning,’ the name of the King Messiah, as it is written, ‘Before the sun, his name is Yinnon,’ (Psalms 72:17) and why is he called Yinnon? Because he will ennoble those who are downtrodden like a dove that is crushed and turns to dust. The Torah, as it is written, ‘The Lord acquired me as the beginning of His way’ (Proverbs 8:22), Israel, as it is written, ‘Remember Your congregation which You acquired long ago’ (Psalms 74:2), the Temple, as it is written, ‘A throne of glory, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary’ (Jeremiah 17:12), repentance, as it is written, ‘Before the mountains were born, before You brought forth the earth and the inhabited world, from eternity to eternity You are God’ (Psalms 90:2), and Gehenna, as it is written, ‘For from yesterday it was prepared’ (Isaiah 30:33). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: When the Philistines returned the Ark, they began to boast and say, ‘It was not only the Ark that was between us and our Lord, but also His Master.’ This is what is written, ‘The rivers raise, O Lord’ (Psalms 93:3). And what are the rivers? They are none other than the Philistines, as it is written, ‘From the river is the land of the Philistines’ (1 Samuel 5:6). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘The rivers will raise themselves with haughtiness, but I will break them with hard afflictions.’ ‘With haughtiness.’ Rabbi Samuel bar Nachmani said: Their internal affairs are corrupt. ‘I will break them.’ Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Their external affairs are corrupt. ‘The rivers will raise, O Lord.'”

“To David, a psalm. The Lord says to my lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ It is the verse that says (Isaiah 41:2): ‘Who has stirred up one from the east, calling him in righteousness to his service? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow.’ The nations of the heathens were sleeping under the wings of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), and who awakened them to come and take refuge under the wings of the Shechinah? Abraham, as it says, ‘Who has stirred up one from the east.’ And not only that, but also righteousness was asleep and Abraham awakened it. And how did Abraham do it? He made a lodge for travelers and opened its doors to all winds, and he received passersby and returnees, as it says (Genesis 21:33), ‘And he planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called in the name of the Lord, the eternal God.’ Rabbi Azariah said: What is ‘eshel’? It is a place of eating, drinking, and escorting. Be righteous and call it in his name. Another explanation: the righteous one of the world would accompany him. And when he came to make war with Amraphel and his companions, as it says (Isaiah 41:2), ‘He makes his sword like dust,’ what is meant by ‘like dust’? Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Nehemiah disagreed. Rabbi Judah said that Abraham took dust and threw it at them, and it turned into swords, and he took straw and threw it, and it turned into bows and arrows. Rabbi Nehemiah said to him: If so, you have uprooted the verse, for it is not written ‘dust and straw,’ but rather ‘like dust and straw.’ What is meant by ‘like straw’? That Amraphel threw swords and they turned into dust, and he threw arrows and they turned into straw. (Isaiah 41:3) ‘He pursues them and moves on unscathed.’ What is meant by ‘on foot’? That he did not come with his army, but when he came to pursue them, the ground became compacted before him.” Some say that Abraham’s stride was three cubits long, while others say it was two, but when he walked, the ground did not even stir before him. One should not walk with dirty feet.

Rabbi Judah the son of Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of Rabbi Bibi, “The infant (Moses) walked in his home, and his feet were covered with dust, yet Abraham’s feet did not become dusty. One should not walk with dirty feet.” Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said in the name of Rabbi Yose ben Zimra, “What is meant by ‘walking’? When Abraham slew all those people in battle, his heart was softened, and he said, ‘It cannot be that there was not a righteous person among them.’ Then God said to him, ‘Abraham, you will not come to this sin with your feet.’ And who fought all those battles? It was possible to conquer all of them with eighteen or three hundred men. Rabbi Yochanan, the son of Rabbi Yose, said, ‘But he had only his servant Eliezer with him, whose merits were great.’ And who fought all those battles? It was God who said to him, ‘Turn to your right hand,’ and I will fight for you. Although it is not written here, David explained it when he said, ‘The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at my right hand.”‘ And likewise it says of the Messiah (Isaiah 16:5), ‘And a throne shall be established in mercy, and he shall sit upon it in truth.’ God said, ‘He will sit, and I will make war for him, so let us study and not change the Torah, which is called truth (Proverbs 23:23), “Buy truth and do not sell it.” Let him sit upon it in truth.'”

“Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, etc.” Solomon said in Proverbs 3:13 “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding,” and in verse 14 “For her [wisdom’s] profit is better than the profit of silver, and her gain than fine gold.” In verse 15 he says “She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.” There were three who asked for wisdom from the Holy One, blessed be He: David, Solomon, and the Messiah. David said, “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes.” Solomon said in 2 Chronicles 1:10 “Give me now wisdom and knowledge.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him in verse 12, “Wisdom and knowledge are granted to you.” Concerning the Messiah, it says in Psalm 72:1, “Give the king Your judgments, O God.” Therefore, it says “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes.” What does “teach me” mean? David said, “Do not say to me that they are in front of you [i.e. easily accessible]. Rather, you should teach me,” as it says in Psalm 119:73, “Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.” Therefore, it says “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes.” What is “the way”? It means “make it [the Torah] for me a way.” “And I shall treasure it [the Torah] with my whole heart.” What is “treasure it with my whole heart”? It means that the Torah should be in his hands like a person who is occupied with Torah all his days, and he puts it aside as if he has not occupied himself with it. And so it is with everything. Why is this compared to one who makes a vessel for the king and brings it to him, and it breaks in his hand, as if he has not made it at all? Similarly, a person who is engaged in Torah all his days, and then puts it aside, should be concerned that he has engaged in Torah and then put it aside. And so it was with Ahithophel. What did he benefit? Rather, David said, “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall treasure it with my whole heart.” And so it says in Psalm 19:11-12, “Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.” And it says in Psalm 119:165, “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.”

“… ‘I am peace, and when I speak, they are for war’ (Psalms 120:7). What is the meaning of ‘I am peace’? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the Messiah, ‘May your advent be for peace,’ as it is said, ‘Proclaim ye this among the nations: prepare war; stir up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say: “I am strong” ‘ (Joel 4:9, 10). Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to the Messiah, ‘By peace alone do I desire to begin speaking with the nations; hence it is said, “But I am peace, and when I speak, they are for war” ‘ (Zechariah 9:10). Isaiah also says, ‘Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near’ (Isaiah 57:19). In its literal sense, it means that I do not repulse any creature; if a man has given his heart to repent, I will no longer remember his sins. Hence it is said, ‘Peace, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near.’ And all who come to me, I go to him and heal him, as it is said, ‘And I will heal him’ (Jeremiah 33:6). ‘But the wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt’ (Isaiah 57:20). Such are the wicked, who do not desire peace, as it is said, ‘For there is no sincerity in their mouth’ (Psalm 55:22). Why don’t they seek peace? Therefore it is said, ‘I am peace; when I speak, they are for war’ (Psalm 120:7).”

“… Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: ‘Your wife is like a fruitful vine within your home; your children are like olive shoots around your table.’ Just as olive shoots do not have any refuse in them, your children will not have any blemish. One who sees a vine in a dream will not suffer the loss of children, as it is said: “Your wife is like a fruitful vine.” (Bereshit 49:11) The one who whistles for the mare will see the Messiah, as it is said: “Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine.” One who sees grapes in a dream, whether in season or out of season, they are beautiful. If they are black, they are especially beautiful. If they are out of season, they require mercy. If one eats them, he is assured that he is in a good place.’…”