Israel Asks God to Remember What Amalek and Edom Did

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Ki Teitzei 11:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

[(Deut. 25:17:) "Remember what Amalek did to you." R. Berekhyah said:] Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, You say to us "Remember." You remember, for forgetfulness is common among us; but You, before whom there is no forgetfulness — therefore, "Remember what he did." He did it to us, and he did it to You. (Ps. 137:7:) "Remember, O LORD, against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem, who said, 'Raze it, raze it, to the foundation in her.'" R. Abba bar Kahana said: "'Aru, 'aru" means paggeru, paggeru (that is, "shatter"), as it is said (Jer. 51:58), "The broad wall of Babylon shall be utterly razed ('ar'er tit'ar'ar)." R. Levi said: It means panon, panon ("empty, empty"), as it is said (Gen. 24:20), "And she emptied her jar into the trough." According to the opinion of the one who said [paggeru, paggeru — to its foundations they reached, but not to the foundation itself in her; and the one who said] panon, panon — empty its foundations.

Themes

Divine JusticeBibleDavidWisdomJerusalem

Biblical References

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