Why the Holy One Is Exalted Through Judgment of the Nations

(Lev. 19:1–2:) AND THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING: SPEAK UNTO ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM: YOU SHALL BE HOLY, [FOR I THE LORD YOUR GOD AM HOLY]. This is what Scripture says (in Isa. 5:16): BUT THE LORD OF HOSTS IS EXALTED THROUGH JUSTICE, [AND THE HOLY GOD IS SANCTIFIED THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS]. When is the Holy One, blessed be He, made exalted in His world? When He executes judgment and justice among the nations of the world, as it is said (in Isa. 3:13): THE LORD STANDS UP TO PLEAD, AND STANDS TO JUDGE THE PEOPLES. And it says (in Dan. 7:9): I BEHELD UNTIL THE THRONES (karsavan) WERE CAST DOWN (remiw). What is the meaning of "thrones" (karsavan)? Were there then many thrones, when it is written (in Isa. 6:1): AND I SAW THE LORD SITTING UPON A THRONE? What is "thrones" (karsavan)? R. Jose the Galilean and R. Akiva [differed]. One said: "thrones" (karsavan) — this is the throne and its footstool (the stool of His feet). And one said: these are the thrones of the nations of the world, which the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to overturn, as it is said (in Hag. 2:22): AND I WILL OVERTURN THE THRONE OF KINGDOMS, AND I WILL DESTROY THE STRENGTH OF THE KINGDOMS OF THE NATIONS. Know [for yourself] that it is so: "the thrones were set up" is not written here, but rather "were cast down" (remiw); and it is written (in Exod. 15:1): THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER HE HAS CAST (ramah) INTO THE SEA. And the Rabbis say: What is the meaning of "thrones" (karsavan)? In the time to come the Holy One, blessed be He, sits, and the angels set out thrones for the great ones of Israel, and they sit, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sits as the head of the court (av bet din) with them, and they judge the nations of the world, as it is said (in Isa. 3:14): THE LORD WILL ENTER INTO JUDGMENT WITH THE ELDERS OF HIS PEOPLE AND ITS PRINCES. "Against the elders of His people" is not written here, but rather "WITH the elders" — this teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, sits with the elders and princes of Israel and judges the nations of the world. And which are these thrones? The thrones of the house of David and the elders of Israel, as it is said (in Ps. 122:5): FOR THERE SAT THRONES FOR JUDGMENT, THRONES OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID. R. Pinhas said in the name of R. Hilkiah [the Southerner] in the name of R. Reuben: If you say "for there sat thrones for judgment, thrones of the house of David," then what is the meaning of (Dan. 7:9): AND THE ANCIENT OF DAYS DID SIT? That He sits among them as the head of the court, and judges the nations together with them. Therefore it is written (ibid.): UNTIL THE THRONES (karsavan) WERE CAST DOWN (remiw). What is the meaning of (Dan. 7:9): AND THE HAIR OF HIS HEAD LIKE PURE WOOL? That the Holy One, blessed be He, cleanses Himself of the nations of the world, and pays them the reward for the light commandments which they performed in this world, in order to judge them and condemn them in the world to come, so that they may have no opening of the mouth, and no merit be found for them, as it is said (in Isa. 14:32): AND WHAT SHALL ONE ANSWER THE MESSENGERS OF A NATION? THAT THE LORD HAS FOUNDED ZION, AND IN IT THE AFFLICTED OF HIS PEOPLE TAKE REFUGE. And at once He executes judgment upon them. At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, is made exalted in His world, as it is said (in Isa. 5:16): BUT THE LORD OF HOSTS IS EXALTED THROUGH JUSTICE, [AND THE HOLY GOD IS SANCTIFIED THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS]. What is the meaning of "AND THE HOLY GOD IS SANCTIFIED THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS"? That He is sanctified in His world through the righteousness that He declares concerning Israel, as it is said (in Isa. 63:1): I THAT SPEAK IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: I am sanctified through you, as it is said (in Isa. 29:23): FOR WHEN HE SEES HIS CHILDREN, THE WORK OF MY HANDS, IN HIS MIDST, THEY SHALL SANCTIFY MY NAME; YEA, THEY SHALL SANCTIFY THE HOLY ONE OF JACOB. And thus it says (in Isa. 49:3): ISRAEL, IN WHOM I WILL BE GLORIFIED. And you are sanctified through Me, and I am sanctified through you, as it is said (in Lev. 11:44): [AND YOU SHALL SANCTIFY YOURSELVES] AND YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.