“Your descendants will be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and your descendants” (Genesis 28:14). “Your descendants will be as the dust” – just as the dust is blessed only by means of water, so, your descendants will be blessed only by means of Torah, that is likened to water.
Just as the dust of the earth outlasts all metal vessels and endures forever, so, your descendants will outlast the entire world and endure forever. Just as dust is trodden upon by all, so, your children will be trodden upon. That is what is written: “I will place it into the hand of your oppressors [mogayikh]” (Isaiah 51:23). What is mogayikh?
It is those that cause your wounds to liquefy [memagin], torment you, and sap your strength. Nevertheless, it is for your benefit, as they purify and cleanse you from your iniquities, just as it says: “Soften [temogegena] it with showers, bless its vegetation” (Psalms 65:11). “Who said to your soul: Bow, and we will pass” (Isaiah 51:23) – what would they do to them?6The oppressors to the Jews. They would lie them down in the streets and pass wagons with plows over them.
Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: It is a fortuitous sign; just as this street outlasts the passersby and endures forever, so, your descendants outlast the nations of the world and they endure forever. “You shall spread out to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: It is you7Due to your merit, the sea split. who split the sea, just as is it stated: “The one who breaks through went up before them…[their king passed before them, and the Lord is at their head]” (Micah 2:13).8The reference is to the splitting of the Red Sea, as it is written: “Tremble, O earth, before the Lord, before the God of Jacob” (Psalms 114:7).
Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: He also showed them the divisions of Ezekiel.9The reference is to the more expansive borders of the Land of Israel as prophesied by Ezekiel. See Ezekiel 48:1–29. But did Ezekiel not articulate only from east to west? Isaiah came and articulated: “For you will spread out to the right and the left…” (Isaiah 54:3).10When facing east, “right and left” are north and south.