Midrash Tehillim Reader

"And they envied Moses in the camp. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said, 'The Israelites were counted in the wilderness instead of Moses, and Dathan was appointed in Moses' place, and Abiram was appointed in Aaron's place, as it says, 'It is a leadership position.' Therefore, they envied Moses. And what caused their own destruction?

The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan, and covered the assembly of Abiram. They made a golden calf in Horeb, as it says, 'You raged against [God] at Horeb.' Rabbi Meir said, 'There are places where it is called the 'calf of anger.'' Rabbi Shimon said, 'At Horeb they accused [God], and at Horeb they were acquitted,' as it says, 'And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments.'

And they exchanged their glory for the likeness of an ox. Rabbi Papayas said, 'It was the image of the celestial ox.' Rabbi Akiba said to him, 'Enough, Papayas! Is it not written, 'He eats grass?' How then can you maintain that the celestial ox is without horns and without hoofs at the time when it eats grass?'"...

He said to destroy them. Rabbi Barachia in the name of Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Simon, gave a parable about a prosecutor who accused the king's son. The guard pushed him away and stood in his place, and the prosecutor saw him and left. Thus, but for Moses, his chosen one, this could have happened.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman gave a parable about a king who was angry with his son. He came to sign a document to give him power, and the guard snatched the document from his hand. This was to prevent his anger from causing harm. "And he lifted up his hand against them," said Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman, in the incident of Baal Peor, they were liable to be ruled by the kingdoms, as it says, "And he lifted up his hand against them."

Why did they attach themselves to Baal Peor? Because they rebelled against Him and spoke against Him. Rabbi Yudan swore in the name of Moses, as it says, "And Moses lifted up his hand," as it says, "And he lifted up his right and left hand to heaven" (Daniel 12:7). Rabbi Yudan, the son of Rabbi Yudan, said: "When one rebels against Him and speaks against Him, as it says, 'If a person swears to express with his lips.'" (Leviticus 5:4)....

"They served their idols. Rabbi Yudan said: We pair ourselves with them and say, 'They are like us.' As it is written, 'And it became a trap for them' (Psalms 69:23). Many times He would rescue them. How many times they would anger the Holy One, blessed be He, and He would still have mercy on them and rescue them from their distress (Judges 6:6-7). And the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord. And what is written? 'And Israel was greatly impoverished' (Judges 6:6), like it says (Leviticus 14:21), 'And if he is poor.' He would many times rescue them.

"And He saw that they were in distress when He heard their cry." Rabbi Elazar said: Israel is redeemed only through five things: through distress, through prayer, through the merit of the fathers, through repentance, and through the end (meaning the Messianic era). Through distress, as it says, "And He saw that they were in distress." Through prayer, as it says, "When He heard their cry."

Through the merit of the fathers, as it says, "And He remembered His covenant with them." Through repentance, as it says, "He was appeased by my great kindness." Through the end, as it says, "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations" (Psalms 106:47). And even Moses included them all in one verse, as it says, "When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you" (Deuteronomy 4:30).

Be blessed, O Lord God of Israel, from this world to the next. From the time that we were in Him until now, blessed be He. Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yose ben Zimra: 'Amen' is an oath, 'Amen' is acceptance, as it says in Psalm 41:14, "All who respond 'Amen' in the world, etc."

"Thank the Lord for He is good, for His kindness endures forever. Let those redeemed by the Lord speak out, those whom He has redeemed from distress. This is what the verse says (Isaiah 48:11): 'For My sake, for My sake I will act, for how can My name be profaned?' When the verse says 'For My sake,' it does not mean it just once, but twice 'For My sake, for My sake.'

The Almighty says, 'I act only for the sake of My name, so that it will not be desecrated.' And why does it say 'For My sake, for My sake' twice? The Almighty says, 'I redeemed you from Egypt for the sake of My name, as it says (Psalms 106:8), "And He saved them for the sake of His name." And I will also redeem you in the future, just as I redeemed you in this world.

This is also what it says (Ecclesiastes 1:9): 'What has been will be again.' This is why it says 'For My sake, for My sake' twice. And why does it say (Isaiah 48:11), 'I will not yield My glory to another'? Rabbi Huna the priest said in the name of Rabbi Avin, this is what Moses rebuked the Israelites for at the end of the forty years (Deuteronomy 9:4): 'You know full well that it was not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God gave you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.'

This shows that God acts only for the sake of His great name. This is why David said, 'For His name's sake, He turns to me.' Thank the Lord for He is good. Rabbi Berachiah said in the name of Rabbi Chelbo in the name of Rabbi Samuel, what does it mean when it says 'Let those redeemed by the Lord speak out'?

It means the people of Israel. This is also what Isaiah explains (Isaiah 35:10): 'And the redeemed of the Lord shall return.' It does not say 'the redeemed of Elijah' or 'the redeemed of the Messiah,' but 'the redeemed of the Lord.'"

Another thing, praise the Lord for He is good, and gather them from the lands, wandering in the wilderness. This verse "He led them astray in the wilderness" [Psalm 107:4] is itself an expression of "He led them astray in the wilderness." Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Shalom, "What does it mean to say, 'On high, save us, O Lord our God'? Blessed be the Lord our God!" The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Even though they went astray, I am their Redeemer, just as I did in the wilderness." [Isaiah 63:16] "Israel will be saved by the Lord, an everlasting salvation." [Isaiah 45:17] "Everlasting" refers to plural salvation's. And it says, "The Lord will save the tents of Judah," [Zechariah 12:7] "Wander in the wilderness," and they cried out to the Lord.

Another interpretation is that they will say, "The Redeemer of the Lord, who redeemed us." Or they will say, "The Redeemer of the Lord who will redeem them." Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Shalom, said, "How beautiful is the expression, for the statement of the Holy One, blessed be He, is fulfilled." Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Dostai, in the name of Rabbi Samuel bar Nachman and from another source, we learn that the statement of the Holy One, blessed be He, is a deed.

And from whom did we learn it? From Abraham. What is written? "On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: 'To your descendants I have given this land'" (Genesis 15:18).

It only says "I have given," but did he already have children at that time? No, but the statement of the Holy One, blessed be He, is a deed. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I have said and I will do," and here too it says "The Redeemer of the Lord" because He has already redeemed them.

From the lands I gather them. Just as a bird is in the hand of the hunter, whether he seeks to kill it or keep it alive, so Israel was in the hands of Egypt (Exodus 3:8) and I descended to save them from the hand of Egypt. As it says (Exodus 14:30), "Thus the Lord saved Israel on that day." Rabbi Abahu said in the name of Rabbi Aha in the name of Rabbeinu: Israel was like a fetus inside the womb of an animal while in Egypt.

And just as a shepherd puts his hand inside the womb and retrieves the fetus, so did the Holy One, blessed be He, do, as it says (Deuteronomy 4:34), "To take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation." Rabbi Ibu said in the name of Rabbi Yossi ben Zimra: Just as a goldsmith stretches out his hand and takes gold from the furnace, so did the Holy One, blessed be He, take Israel out of Egypt, as it says (Exodus 20:2), "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: When you were in Egypt, you were scattered, but I gathered you together for a brief moment to bring you to Ramses. And now that you are scattered throughout all the lands, I will gather you together in the future, as it says (Isaiah 11:11), "And it shall come to pass on that day, that the Lord will set His hand again to acquire the remnant of His people." And it says (Isaiah 11:12), "And He shall lift up a banner for the nations."

A Psalm of Asaph. Truly my heart is directed towards God. As the scripture says (Daniel 9:3), "And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications." It is not merely prayer or supplications, but this is how the righteous plead with God to hear their prayer.

Our sages also taught (Berakhot 30b) that one should not pray frivolously, but with seriousness and not with idle words, so that his prayer will be heard. This is also expressed in the verse (2 Samuel 7:18), "Then King David went in and sat before the Lord." Is there really a sitting before God? Doesn't everyone pray while standing, as it says (Psalms 106:30), "And Phinehas stood up and prayed?"

Rather, what does it mean by "he sat"? It means that he sat in prayer until his prayer was complete. And afterwards, it says (2 Samuel 7:18), "Who am I, O Lord God?" Prepare your hearts and listen, as Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said, "If you direct your heart during your prayer, it will be clear that your prayer has been heard," as it says (Psalms 10:17), "You have prepared their heart, You have inclined Your ear."

Similarly, it says (Ezra 7:10), "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it." (Ibid. 7) "And the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him." So too, we find in the case of Hezekiah, when he prayed for Israel, as it says (2 Chronicles 30:18), "For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one." And when he prayed, he directed his heart, as it says (Ibid. 19), "With all his heart he sought the Lord God of Israel," and because he directed his heart, the Lord heard his prayer and healed the people.

Similarly, it says (Ibid. 30:27), "Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, even unto heaven." David said, "Since this is so, I will direct my heart before Him, so that He will hear me," as it says, "Truly my heart is directed towards God; I will sing and give praise."...

Another thing is true in my heart. David said, "I will prepare my heart that my prayer will be like incense before you," as it is said, "Let my prayer be prepared as incense before you" (Psalms 141:2). The Lord said to him, "Just as you intend for your prayer, I will prepare your throne," as it is said, "Your throne shall be established" (2 Samuel 7:16).

I will sing and make music. For the honor that you have given me, as it is said, "Who am I, and who is my household, that You have brought me this far?" (2 Samuel 7:18). And there is no "this far" except for the kingdom, as it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" (1 Samuel 10:11). And I was never asleep, but rather awake with harps and lyres, as it is said, "I will awaken the dawn" (Psalms 57:9). What is "I will awaken the dawn"? The dawn never came upon me and found me asleep, but rather I was awakening the dawn and not the other way around. Therefore, "At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You" (Psalms 119:62), and "I rise before dawn and cry out" (Psalms 119:147). I will praise You among the nations, O Lord, for Your kindness is great and reaches up to the heavens (Psalms 108:4). The kindness that You have done with me reached up to the heavens, for I was afraid of it, and You comforted me and did kindness with me. As it is said, "And David comforted Bathsheba his wife" (2 Samuel 12:24), and he named his son Jedidiah.

"For the conductor, a psalm of David. My God, do not be silent about my praise. As it is written (Deuteronomy 10:20), "You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him." If you do so (Psalms 22:4), He is your praise and He is your God.

Israel has no praise except for the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Holy One, blessed be He, has no praise except for Israel, as it is written (Isaiah 43:21), "This people I have formed for Myself; they shall relate My praise." David said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "You are my praise and You are silent. My God, do not be silent about my praise." For the mouths of wicked and deceitful men have opened against me, and so it says (Psalms 37:13), "The LORD laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming."

And You are silent about all this. Thus it says (Psalms 83:2), "O God, be not silent; be not deaf and be not still, O God." And You are silent about what they did in Your Temple, as it says (Isaiah 64:10-11), "Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised You, has become a burning waste." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them (Jeremiah 7:16), "I have been silent from the day your fathers left Egypt, and you have not listened to Me."

Now Edom is acting like a woman in labor. For the mouths of wicked and deceitful men have opened. And what did they say? They opened the gates and entered the Holy of Holies and said, "Where is their God, that He may come and fight with us?"

As it says (Deuteronomy 32:37-38), "And he will say, 'Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge, who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their libation? Let them rise up and help you! Let them be your protection!'" And they said in the Temple (Psalms 115:2-3), "Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?'

Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases." Therefore, it is said, "For the mouths of wicked and deceitful men have opened against me." These are words of hatred that surround me. What is the hatred that is spoken in hatred?

It is that which Esau did to Jacob, as it is written (Genesis 27:41), "And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him." And they take revenge and contend with me for no reason. Israel said, "When we sent to him in peace, we dealt with him peacefully," as it says (Numbers 20:14), "And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: 'Thus says your brother Israel...'"

But he (Esau) said, "No, I will go out with the sword" (Genesis 32:31). Israel said, "I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war" (Psalm 120:7). God said, "I did not leave you for that" (Amos 1:11), as it says, "Thus says the Lord, 'For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because he pursued his brother with the sword, and cast off all pity, and his anger tore perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever'" (Amos 1:11).

God said, "Lest I come with the sword and they attack me without cause" (Exodus 20:22). If Esau hated Jacob and took the birthright from him to drink and eat, what did he do?

Under my love, they have turned against me. And if not for Israel, there would be no blessing in the world, as it is said (Deuteronomy 28:8) "The Lord will command the blessing upon you." And if not for Israel, the stars would not shine, as it is said (Jeremiah 33:25) "If not for My covenant day and night, I would not have established the laws of heaven and earth." And if not for Israel, the rain would not fall, as it is said (Deuteronomy 28:12) "The Lord will open for you His good storehouse."

Israel said to the nations of the world, "The Holy One, blessed be He, does all these things for you on our account, and yet you hate us." Under my love, they have turned against me. I offer seventy bulls on the festival for the seventy nations, and I pray that rain will fall for them. Woe unto them who repay evil for good! (Jeremiah 18:20) May they repay me evil for good.

Therefore, (Psalm 69:14) "But as for me, let my prayer be to You.""For the conductor, a psalm of David. My God, do not be silent

"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.'"

I will praise the Lord with all my heart. As it is written (Isaiah 30:26), "And the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of the seven days, on the day that the Lord binds up the injuries of His people, and heals the wounds inflicted by His blow." This refers to the time when the Tower of Babel fell, which was caused by the wicked who prevent the light from shining in the world.

It is also said (Judges 5:31), "Thus let all your enemies perish, O Lord!" At that time (ibid.), "And those who love Him are like the rising of the sun in its might." And at that time, God heals the brokenness of His people, as it is said (Isaiah 30:26), "On the day that the Lord binds up the injuries of His people." (Joel 4:14) "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision." What is the valley of decision?

It is a place where the judgment of those who fall there is final. As it is said (Jeremiah 25:33), "And the slain of the Lord shall be on that day from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth." (Until now they did not know.) (Psalm 110:6) "He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will crush the heads of many over the wide earth." In the future, rivers of blood will flow from the wicked, and the birds will come to drink from the stream of blood, as it is said (ibid. 7), "He will drink from the brook on the way."

And the stream creates waves, and the wave comes to wash it away, and it lifts its head, as it is said (ibid.), "Therefore He will lift up His head." David said, "Praise and thanks I give for this." Therefore, we say Hallelujah.

"I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart. What is the secret of the upright, and the testimony that the Lord reveals to Israel? As it is said (Amos 3:7), "For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets." And Israel is called prophets, as it says (Isaiah 44:1-2), "But now, hear, O Jacob My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen!

Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you, 'Do not fear, O Jacob My servant; and you Jeshurun whom I have chosen.' For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants. And they need to be taught only by the Lord, as it says (Isaiah 48:17), "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, 'I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.'"

"Great are the works of the Lord; they are studied by all who delight in them. He is great and worthy of praise. As it says (Psalm 145:3), "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable." And those who praise Him are great, as it is written (Psalm 126:2), "Then they said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.'" And what is the reward for those who do His works? He clothes them with splendor and majesty, as it says (Psalm 111:3), "Splendid and majestic is His work, and His righteousness endures forever." And it also says (Psalm 102:16), "For the Lord has built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory."

"Remember the wonders He has done. Everything that the Lord does for the righteous in this world is nothing but a remembrance. But when He will do justice in the world to come, His righteousness will stand forever. As it says (Psalm 111:3), "His righteousness endures forever."

Hallelujah! Praiseworthy is the person who fears the Lord. As it is written, "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" (Proverbs 31:30). The Lord does not require beauty or wealth from us, but rather the fear of sin, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord" (Jeremiah 9:24). Abraham did much before the Lord, but he only boasted in his fear of the Lord, as it is written, "Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son" (Genesis 22:12). It is also said, "Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord" (Jeremiah 9:22-23). And this is only the Torah, as it is written, "And this is the Torah" (Deuteronomy 4:44). Abraham fulfilled the entire Torah from Aleph to Tav, as it is written, "Because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions" (Genesis 26:5). Therefore, the psalm of ascent is said about him, from Aleph to Tav, along with the psalm of his wife, from Mem to Tav, "Praiseworthy is the woman who fears the Lord" (Proverbs 31:30). And both of them fulfilled the entire Torah from Aleph to Tav. Praiseworthy is the person who fears the Lord, and why is he praised? Because he did not perform the commandments with anguish, but with joy and with great desire. God said to him, "Go forth from your land" (Genesis 12:1), and he did not hesitate in anguish, but immediately fulfilled the commandment, "So Abram went, as the Lord had told him" (Genesis 12:4). God said to him, "He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised" (Genesis 17:13), and he did not hesitate, but immediately fulfilled the commandment, "On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him" (Genesis 17:23). God said to him, "Take your son, your only son, whom you love--Isaac--and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you" (Genesis 22:2), and he did not hesitate, but immediately fulfilled the commandment, "Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about" (Genesis 22:3). "And Abraham rose early in the morning." He was eager to fulfill the mitzvah. And when Isaac was born, on the eighth day they brought him for circumcision, as it is written (Genesis 21:4), "And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old." They then brought him for the afternoon prayer, and made a feast and celebration. From here the sages said that a person is obligated to make joy and celebration on the day that he circumcises his son, just as our forefather Abraham did, as it is written (Genesis 21:8), "And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned." One should greatly desire to fulfill this mitzvah.

"His offspring will be mighty in the land." What is the reward for this? "His offspring will be mighty in the land" - this refers to Isaac, as it is said, "For through Isaac shall your offspring be named" (Genesis 21:12). And what was his strength? He prayed for his wife to conceive, as it is said, "And Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife" (Genesis 25:21). Is there a greater strength than this, that he prayed for an infertile woman to conceive?

Another explanation: "His offspring will be mighty in the land." This refers to Jacob, as it is said, "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine'" (Isaiah 43:1). And what was his strength? He wrestled with the angel and prevailed, as it is said, "And Jacob wrestled with the angel" (Hosea 12:5). "May the righteous flourish in their days" (Psalm 72:7) - these are the twelve tribes of Israel.

Hallelujah, praise the servants of the Lord. This is what the verse (Psalm 137:7) means when it says, "I will remember my song in the night." What is my song? Rabbi Yivo said that the congregation of Israel says before the Holy One, Blessed be He, "I remember Your covenant."

As it says (Genesis 14:20), "Blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." Therefore, "with all my heart I will sing praises to You." Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Simon, said that the congregation of Israel says, "I remember the miracles that You did for me at night in Egypt, and I sang to You and recited songs and praises at night." As it says (Isaiah 30:29), "You shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept."

When did this happen? When You struck down the firstborn of Egypt at night, as it says (Exodus 12:29), "And it came to pass at midnight." This is when we remember our song. On that same night we were redeemed and went out of slavery to freedom.

We were slaves to Pharaoh, but You redeemed us and made us Your servants, as it says, "Hallelujah, praise the servants of the Lord."

Another thing - Hallelujah. This is what the verse (Proverbs 31:26) means when it says, "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." It took twenty-six generations from the time the world was created until the Israelites left Egypt and said Hallelujah. Once the Israelites left Egypt, which was like being released from bondage in mud and bricks, they said Hallelujah.

When did they say it? At the time of the plague of the firstborn. Pharaoh went to Moses and Aaron at night, as it says (Exodus 12:31), "Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron at night." Pharaoh knocked on Moses and Aaron's door at night, and they said to him, "Fool, at night we stand, and we are not thieves who would walk at night and leave in the morning.

We will wait until morning, for so the Lord said to us (Exodus 12:22), 'And you shall not go out, any man from the door of his house until morning.'" He said to them, "Behold, all the Egyptians have died," as it says (Exodus 33:4), "And the Egyptians were strong against the people." They said to him, "Do you want to stop this plague from yourself? Say, 'Behold, you are free men.

Behold, you are under your own authority. Behold, you are the servants of the Lord.'" Pharaoh began to scream and say, "You were slaves before, but now you are free men. You are under your own authority, and you are the servants of the Lord. You must praise Him," as it says, "Hallelujah, praise the servants of the Lord."

Another interpretation: "These are the servants of the Lord." These refer to the people of Israel, as it is said, "For they are My servants, the children of Israel" (Leviticus 25:55), and likewise it says, "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion" (Isaiah 12:6). Another interpretation: "Hallelujah." Why doesn't it say "Praise the Lord"?

Rabbi Yirmiyah said in the name of Rabbi Elazar, "This world is not worthy to praise the Lord in His entirety, but only in part, as it is said, 'Let every soul praise the Lord' (Psalm 150:6). Therefore, it says 'Hallelujah.' From here we learn that Hallel must have at least three verses, as it says, 'Hallelujah, praise God' (Psalm 146:1), which has two verses, and 'Hallelujah, praise God in His sanctuary' (Psalm 150:1), which has three verses.

And one who says only one verse, it is as if he did not say Hallel at all. And similarly, it says, 'For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God' (Deuteronomy 32:3), which has one verse, and 'Sing to the Lord a new song' (Psalm 96:1), which has three verses. Therefore, it says 'Hallelujah.' Where do we learn that there were Hallel songs when Israel descended to Egypt, and there were 71 with the Divine Presence among them, as it says, "I will go down with thee into Egypt" (Genesis 46:4)?

And it is written, "Thy fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons" (Deuteronomy 10:22). And when the Holy One, blessed be He, ascended with them, it says, "I will also surely bring thee up again" (Genesis 46:4). Therefore, it says 'Hallelujah' for the number of 'Hallelujah.'

Praise the name of the Lord! Praise Him for the war He fought for us, as it is said, "The Lord will fight for you" (Exodus 14:14). Blessed be the name of the Lord from now and forever. In this world, people may curse God and provoke Him, but in the world to come, it will not be so. God said, "You have blessed Me from now and forever, so too will I do the same" (Psalm 125:2). "The Lord surrounds His people from now until eternity" (ibid.).

"When the Israelites left Egypt," as it says in the verse (Psalms 105:38), "Egypt was glad when they departed." Rabbi Berechiah said, "This can be compared to a meat seller riding on a donkey..." When David saw how joyful the Israelites were when they left Egypt, he began to mock the Egyptians for their departure, as it says, "When the Israelites left Egypt." And the verse (Psalms 68:5) says, "Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds." What does it mean, "extol Him who rides on the clouds?" It is similar to what is said (Job 7:7), "Do not gaze at me, and I shall not exist." Another explanation of "Sing to God" is that they said before Him songs and hymns. And what does "extol" mean? Rabbi Yehuda says it means "destroy," and Rabbi Nehemiah says it means "clear the way before Him," as it is said (Isaiah 62:10), "Clear the way, clear the way, remove the obstacles from the road of my people." The Sages say there are two heavens, as it says (Psalms 68:34), "Ascribe strength to God; His majesty is over Israel, and His strength is in the skies." The Sages say there are three, as it says (Deuteronomy 10:14), "Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens belong to God." Rabbi Eliezer says there are seven: heaven, firmament, clouds, throne, dwelling, place, and the wilderness. And the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, is in the wilderness, as it is said (Psalms 68:5), "Extol Him who rides on the clouds; His name is the Lord, and exult before Him." What is meant by "wilderness?" Rabbi Tachlifa ben Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon that the Holy One, blessed be He, saw the deeds of the righteous and was pleased with them. Rabbi Pinchas HaKohen bar Chama said, "The sky, whose name is 'wilderness,' is sown with the deeds of the righteous, and it produces fruit." And in the verse (Psalms 68:5), "His name is the Lord," Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi asked Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman what is meant by "His name." He said to him, "There is no place where a person is not appointed to oversee his coming, except for the Holy One, blessed be He, who is appointed to oversee His own coming, as it says, 'His name is the Lord.'" Therefore, do not read it as "His name," but as "His coming." Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi lamented that a certain tradition had been lost, as Rabbi Elazar had learned something from his teacher, but had not taught it to him. However, Rabbi Elazar's wife revealed it to him, saying, "Thus did my husband teach me." But Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi did not reveal the teaching, as he had been rebuked by his own teacher for revealing a secret. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said, "It is a shame that we lose things and they are not forgotten. A certain maiden once asked Rabbi Elazar his name, but did not tell me hers. Instead, she asked me, 'What is His name, composed of these two letters, by which God created two worlds?' As it is said, 'For in Yah the Lord created the worlds' (Isaiah 26:4), spelled with the letters yod and hei. We do not know if this world was created with the letter yod and the World to Come with the letter hei, or vice versa. However, since it is written, 'These are the generations of the heaven and the earth when they were created' (Genesis 2:4), 'when they were created' refers to God, meaning that this world was created with the letter yod. Why is the letter hei open on the bottom and closed on all sides? So too with this world, everything that is created in it goes down to Sheol (the grave). And that same prick that is in it is a hint to the resurrection of the dead. The World to Come was created with the letter hei. Why is the letter yod tall and bent over? So that the faces of the wicked will be bent in the future. Another interpretation: Why is the letter yod small and bent over? So that the faces of the wicked will be humbled in the future, as it is said, 'And the haughtiness of man shall be brought low' (Isaiah 2:17). When David saw that God created two worlds with these two letters, he began to praise God with hallelujah."

"At the Exodus of Israel from Egypt, Rabbi Elazar HaKappar said that in the merit of four things, Israel went out of Egypt: they did not change their names, they did not change their language, they did not engage in immoral behavior, and they did not reveal secrets. The word of their departure was entrusted to them twelve months before, as it is stated (Exodus 3:22), 'And you shall borrow from your neighbors,' and a woman was asked about her possessions, and no one revealed the matter.

Regarding immoral behavior, only one person was guilty, and the scripture publicized it, as it says (Leviticus 24:10), 'And the son of an Israelite woman went out' [and committed a sin with a non-Jewish man]. Another explanation of what merit they were redeemed in: Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nechemia. Rabbi Yehuda says they were redeemed in the merit of the blood of the Passover sacrifice and the blood of circumcision, as it is stated (Ezekiel 16:6), 'And I said to you, "In your blood, live!"'

Rabbi Nechemia says they were redeemed in the merit of the Torah, as it is stated (Exodus 2:25), 'And God saw the children of Israel,' and at the giving of the Torah it is written (ibid. 20:15), 'And all the people saw the voices.' There is another place to learn from this, as it is written (ibid. 3:12), 'When you take the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on this mountain.' Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says they were redeemed in the merit of the Tabernacle, as it is stated (Exodus 39:43), 'And Moses saw all the work,' and there is another place to learn from (ibid. 29:46), 'That I may dwell among them.'

Rabbi Elazar says they were redeemed in the merit of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, as it is stated (Exodus 2:25), 'And God saw the children of Israel,' and regarding them it is written (Isaiah 29:23), 'They shall sanctify My Name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob.' What is meant by 'My Name'? [It refers to] children who have no blemish, as it is stated (Daniel 1:4), 'Children in whom there is no blemish.'

Rabbi Abba bar Kahana says they were redeemed in the merit of the generation of Isaiah, as it is stated (Isaiah 29:23), 'The work of My hands in their midst.' And when David saw how many merits Israel had in their exodus from Egypt, he began to praise them with Hallelujah (Psalms 114-118)."

"For the leader, upon Yedutun. Only for God does my soul wait in silence" (Psalms 62:2). This is what the verse says: "Trust in the LORD forever and ever" (Isaiah 26:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Know in whom you trust, in the One who created two worlds with two letters, as it is said (in the same verse): "For with Yah, the LORD, is the Rock of worlds" [read as: with the letter yod and the letter heh He fashioned the worlds]. These are this world and the world to come. This world was created with the letter heh. And so it says (Genesis 2:4): "These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created" [be-hibaram, read as: be-heh beraam, with the letter heh He created them]. And the world to come was created with the letter yod. Therefore, "for with Yah, the LORD, is the Rock of worlds." And why was this world created with the letter heh? Just as with the heh, when a person produces it from his mouth there is in it neither movement of the lips nor effort of the tongue, so too without toil and without labor the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world. As it is said (Psalms 33:6): "By the word of the LORD the heavens were made." "For He has brought low those who dwell on high" (Isaiah 26:5), and afterward "the foot shall trample it," and afterward (Micah 4:13): "Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion." Thus said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Israel: I will redeem you, only that you must take trouble. And about what do I trouble you? Upon Yedutun: concerning the laws [datot] and concerning the judges [dayanin] that I make for you. Therefore it is said: "upon Yedutun."

Another thing regarding the exodus of Israel from Egypt. See what is written (Deuteronomy 4:34): "Or has God ever tried to go and take a nation for Himself from the midst of another nation?" Rabbi Chiya said in the name of Rabbi Yirmiya: This can be compared to a warrior who goes out to battle, either to conquer or to be victorious. Therefore it is said (in the same verse): "in battles."

Rabbi Abba Bar Acha said in the name of Rabbi Chanin: What is "a nation from the midst of another nation"? It is like a person who removes a fetus from the belly of an animal. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, took Israel out of Egypt, as it is said: "a nation from the midst of another nation." This is similar to what is said (Leviticus 1:3): "And he shall bring it close," and (Exodus 7:5): "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord."

We learn from here the difficulty of being cast off. How do we know that they were cast off? As it is said (Deuteronomy 4:20): "He took you out of the iron crucible." It is like a person who takes gold from a furnace without tongs or a scoop.

So it was with Israel. Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Simon: What is meant by "from the midst of another nation"? They were absorbed within their bellies, as it is said (Psalm 124:3): "They would have swallowed us alive." And if a person wishes to darken the matter and not mention Egypt in that context, behold, it says (Psalm 124:2): "If the Lord had not been for us when men rose up against us."

And "men" refer to none other than Egypt, as it is said (Isaiah 31:3): "And Egypt is man and not God." And the Holy One, blessed be He, performed ten miracles for them at the sea. One is that He made walls upon walls, and there was not a wall that did not have a tower, and there was not a tower that did not have a guard, and the ministering angels guarded Israel so that they would not be harmed. Moses said to them, "Come and cross."

They said to him, "How can we cross between these walls, as it is said (Exodus 14:22-29), 'And the waters were a wall unto them?'" The sea froze and rose up, filling all its depths. Just as a person floats with both arms, one up and one down, so too did God freeze the heart of the sea and fill all its depths. Then they made the water into the form of arched bricks, as it is said (Habakkuk 3:14), "You pierced with his own arrows the head of his warriors."

Moses said to them, "Come and cross." They said, "When the waters were two below and one above, we could not cross, and now that they are two above and one below, how much less can we cross?" Then they made the water into the form of flat bricks, as it is said (Zechariah 2:8), "For he that touches you touches the apple of his eye." And there is no "apple" but bricks, as it is said (Zechariah 2:9), "And I will shake my hand over them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants."

Then they took sweet water out of the salty water and drank it, as it is said (Psalm 78:16), "And he brought streams also out of the rock." Then they made the water into the form of clay, as it is said (Habakkuk 3:15), "Thou didst walk through the sea with thy horses, through the heap of great waters." Then they made the water into the form of columns, as it is said (Exodus 15:8), "The floods stood upright as a heap."

Like a heap of straw between two piles. Then they made the water into the form of separate drops, as it is said (Psalm 74:13), "Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength." Then they made the water into the form of valleys and caused grass to grow, and Israel grazed therein, as it is said (Isaiah 33:9), "The land mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits."

"Judah became holy. When Israel arrived at the sea, they fought with each other. One tribe went down to the sea first, and the sea did not dry up until they entered it. They continued to descend until they reached the bottom of the sea, as it is said: "Save me, O God!

For the waters have come up to my neck" (Psalm 69:2). It is also written: "And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground" (Exodus 14:22). Benjamin the Righteous went first into the sea, as it is said: "There is little Benjamin, their ruler, in the lead" (Psalm 68:28). Do not read "in the lead" [in Hebrew: "ro'dem"], but rather "into the sea" [in Hebrew: "yored yam"].

What did Nachshon ben Aminadav do? He jumped into the waves of the sea and sanctified the name of the Lord before all, and rebuked Benjamin, as it is said: "The leaders of Judah were shouting, and the rulers were with them" (Psalm 68:28). And it was under the leadership of Nachshon ben Yehudah that Israel crossed. And because he rebuked his brothers, he merited the purple robe, as it is written: "And they clothed Daniel with purple" (Daniel 5:29).

God said to him, "You rebuked your brother to sanctify My name. You shall be a ruler over your brothers." Judah truly became holy through his leadership. The sea saw that Israel was fighting each other over the sanctity of God's name.

The sea said, "What am I standing here for?" and immediately fled, as it is said: "The sea saw and fled" (Psalm 114:3). Another interpretation: The sea saw that Joseph's coffin was being lowered into it and said, "I will flee before him," as it is said: "And the sea fled before them" (Genesis 33:10). Just as the sea was a miracle for them, it shall be a miracle for you. Be like the sea and flee.

Another interpretation: The sea did not want to split because the people were rebelling. It said, "They rebel, and I will split before them," as it is said: "They were rebellious at the sea, at the Red Sea" (Psalm 106:7). And just as the sea was punished for rebelling, God rebuked it, as it is said: "He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried up" (Psalm 106:9). As soon as the sea saw this, it fled, as it is said: "Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea speaks, the stronghold of the sea, saying: I have not been in labor or given birth, I have not raised young men or brought up young women."

The sea said: I am afraid of Him because I have no protection other than Him. You, on the other hand, have raised numerous young men and brought up countless young women, yet you are not afraid of Him. (Exodus 14:29).

"The Jordan River will turn back. But what is the value of the Jordan, and what does it matter to him? Were people standing in the Jordan? Rather, we learn from here that if the leader flees, all will flee. Once the Jordan saw that the Sea had fled, it too fled. Moses said to the Sea, 'You did not say, "I will not split," yet now you are fleeing? What is it to you, Sea, that you flee?' The Sea replied, 'I am not fleeing from you, but from the Master of the Universe, who instructed the dry land to emerge from me on the third day of Creation, whereas you were created on the sixth day. I am not fleeing from you, Moses, but from Jacob's God, the Rock who transforms a desert into a water spring.'"

I loved because the Lord will hear. This is what the prophet Isaiah said (Isaiah 30:19): "For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you."

We are not required to come before God with anything other than our prayers, for if He hears, He will forgive, as it says in Daniel 9:19: "O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and act and do not delay, for your own sake, my God, because your city and your people bear your Name." Israel loves God to hear their prayers. Therefore, I loved because the Lord will hear. The assembly of Israel said, "I love you," and therefore, I loved because the Lord will hear.

And out of my love for Him, I am sick, as it says in Song of Songs 2:5: "I am lovesick." And I am not sick with heartache or headache, but with love, as it says, "I am lovesick." I love Him and I love His house, as it says in Psalm 26:8: "Lord, I love the habitation of your house." And no one knows the love that one has for another, as it says in Song of Songs 8:7: "Many waters cannot quench love."

But if I have seen wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear, as it says in Psalm 66:18: "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." I say to them, "You love me, and I love you," as it says in Deuteronomy 7:8: "But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors." And it says in Deuteronomy 13:5, "Love him and keep his commandments and obey him."

"For He shall hear." God said to them, (Song 2:14) "Let me hear your voice, for your voice is pleasant." And it is written, (Song 8:13) "You who dwell in the gardens, the companions listen for your voice, let me hear it." He desires the prayers of Israel. God said to them, "You desire that I hear your prayers, and I also ask that you listen to Me." "And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord your God." (Devarim 28:1) If you listen, you shall be listened to, as it is said, "Then you shall call, and the Lord shall answer." (Isaiah 58:9)

"My voice, my supplication." The assembly of Israel said before the Almighty, "Even though all the nations of the world call out to You, silence them and hear my prayer. Therefore, hear my voice of supplication." And so the Almighty did, for He inclined His ear to me. The ears of heaven are not deaf, but only to hear my prayer, as it is said, "You have given me ears to hear" (Psalms 40:7). And it is written, "Incline Your ear to me" (Psalms 17:6).

"And in my days." During the holidays that You have given me, as it is said, "On the Sabbath day, on the Sabbath day, they shall stand before the Lord" (Leviticus 23:3). And it is written, "On the Day of Atonement" (Numbers 29:7) and it is written, "On the fourteenth day of the month of Tishrei, the holiday of Sukkot" (Leviticus 23:34). This refers to the days of my life.

"The cords of death encompassed me." People are bound for death, and the pains of the grave seized me. These are the exiles, as it is said, "From the hand of Sheol I will redeem them, from death I will ransom them" (Hosea 13:14)....

"I will find distress and sorrow, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. Forever we call upon Your name, as it is written (Psalm 20:8): 'They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.'

I will fulfill my vows to the Lord. Rabbi Yehuda says (Ecclesiastes 5:3): 'It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.' It is better not to vow at all, as it is said (Deuteronomy 23:23): 'When you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will surely demand it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.' Rabbi Meir says: It is better to vow and fulfill, as it is said (Psalm 76:12): 'Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them.'"...

Precious in the eyes of God are ten things called precious: wealth, as it is said, "A man's wealth is his strong city" (Proverbs 10:15); the Torah, as it is said, "For she is more precious than rubies" (Proverbs 3:15); Israel, as it is said, "Ephraim is a precious son to Me" (Jeremiah 31:20); knowledge, as it is said, "Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling" (Proverbs 21:20); prophecy, as it is said, "And the word of the Lord was precious in those days" (1 Samuel 3:1); understanding, as it is said, "The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts" (Proverbs 20:27); foolishness, as it is said, "Folly is set in great dignity, while the rich sit in a lowly place" (Ecclesiastes 10:6); the righteous, as it is said, "How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!" (Psalm 139:17); kindness, as it is said, "How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!" (Psalm 36:8); and the death of the righteous, as it is said, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints" (Psalm 116:15). It is like a parable of a king who sent one of his officials to collect his taxes. The official stayed with a homeowner for eleven days, and each day he entrusted the homeowner with a hundred coins, totaling ten thousand coins.

When the official came to collect the taxes, the homeowner claimed that he only owed fifty coins. The official wondered how he could collect the remaining amount from the homeowner. Similarly, God found it difficult to ask Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, whom He had blessed with Heaven and Earth, and who sanctified God's name in the world. God also found it difficult to ask Isaac to be sacrificed, who willingly offered himself on the altar and sanctified God's name in the world.

God found it difficult to ask Jacob to die, who toiled in Torah his whole life. God found it difficult to ask Moses to die, who risked his life to face Pharaoh and fulfill God's commandments. Similarly, God found it difficult to ask David to die, who completed his soul and descended to his eternal rest. The same goes for Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who cast themselves into the fiery furnace, and for all righteous people.

If not for the fact that the righteous ask for death with their mouths, they would not die. As for Abraham it is written (Genesis 15:2) "And I am going alone, childless." In Isaac it is written (Genesis 27:7) "And I will bless you before I die." In Jacob it is written (Genesis 37:35) "I will go down to the grave in mourning."

In Moses it is written (Deuteronomy 4:22) "But I must die." In David it is written (1 Kings 2:2) "I am about to go the way of all the earth." In Jonah it is written (Jonah 4:3) "Please, take my life." And since the righteous ask with their mouths, God said: "Let these go because of those."

If Abraham had lived, how would he have led Isaac's reign? And similarly, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, and Solomon. Rather, God said: "Let these go because of those."

Another interpretation: "Precious in the eyes of God." It is likened to a king who sent a skilled charioteer who served him well and completed his time, and then gave him another chariot. Those who did not want him to leave them would ridicule him for being replaced, while those who knew he would come to them would ridicule him for being about to lead them well. Similarly, when the righteous depart from the world, the creatures of the world are saddened by their departure because, as long as they were among them, they would ward off calamities from coming to the world.

But the ministering angels rejoice when the righteous come and rule among them. When a righteous person departs from the world, three groups of ministering angels come to meet him. One says (Isaiah 57:2) "He enters into peace; they rest in their beds--those who walk in uprightness." The second one says, "They shall rest on their beds."

And the third one says, "He walks in his uprightness." And when the wicked pass from the world, three bands of destroying angels come to meet them. One band says, "There is no peace." (Isaiah 48:22) And one says, "The Lord has said, 'Evil shall slay the wicked.'" And one says, "He shall lie down in sorrow." (Isaiah 50:11)

Another thing that is precious in the eyes of God is the death of His saints. It is like a parable of a king who went out to the desert with his soldiers and had a crystal goblet in his hand. He said, "If only someone would give me one glass of wine." Someone came and gave him a glass of wine and surpassed him in food and drink.

When he arrived in the settlement, he forgot him. After some time, the owner of the crystal goblet came before the king and stood before him. The king asked him, "How are you?" He said to him, "I am the one who gave you the glass of wine in the desert."

The king said to him, "You are made a ruler." He said to him, "That is why I gave it to you and served you." The king said to him, "You are made a commander." He went back and said to him, "That is why I gave it to you and served you.

You are made like me, perhaps you ask for more than me." So, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to the righteous, "You are like me, perhaps you ask for more than me," as it is said, "If you return, then I will restore you— before Me you will stand. If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, but as for you, do not turn to them." Just as I am the Creator of worlds and revive the dead, so are you.

"Please, O Lord, for I am Your servant." This teaches that David would humble himself in every place, as it says, "And he said to him, 'Whose son are you, young man?' And David said, 'I am the son of your servant, Jesse.'" (1 Samuel 17:58) Because he did not compare himself to a servant who was born in the house, but to a servant who is taken from the market. Another explanation is that David said, "I am a descendant of she who said, 'I am Ruth, your maidservant. Spread your cloak over your maidservant.'" (Ruth 3:9) "You have opened to the disciplined." You have opened the prohibition of the date palm frond and permitted it. "You have opened to the forbidden and made it permissible."

"I will offer You a sacrifice of thanksgiving." For anyone who is obligated in a sin offering brings a sin offering, and one who is obligated in a guilt offering brings a guilt offering. Here, we do not say sin offering or guilt offering, but rather a sacrifice of thanksgiving. I must give You thanks. "So I will offer You a sacrifice of thanksgiving."

Praise the Lord, all nations! As it says in the verse (Psalms 86:8), "There is none like You among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like Yours." How can flesh and blood create form without being in that form? But the Holy One, blessed be He, created man in His form, as it says (Genesis 1:27), "And God created man in His own image." And He also begets like His form, as it says (Genesis 5:3), "And he begot a son in his own likeness, after his image." The waters are the work of His hands and they swarm, as it says (Exodus 1:7), "And the waters swarmed." When a king who is flesh and blood is criticized, his enemies criticize him, but when the Holy One, blessed be He, is criticized, all praise Him, as it says (Psalms 86:9), "All nations whom You have made shall come and praise You, O Lord." Rabbi Pinchas said that a certain philosopher asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananiah, "On what day is the whole world equal, and the nations bow to the Holy One, blessed be He?" He replied, "One day when all are happy, namely, when the rains come. Everyone is sad when the rains are withheld, and when they come down, everyone is happy and praises the Holy One, blessed be He," as it says (Psalms 86:9), "All nations whom You have made shall come and praise You, O Lord. And when is this? (Psalms 86:10) For You are great and do wondrous things, and there are none like You. And wondrous things refer only to rain, as it says (Job 9:10), "Who does great things, unfathomable wonders." He who gives rain to the earth. Therefore, praise the Lord, all nations. Rabbi Tanchum bar Chiya said, "The descent of rain is as great as the giving of the Torah. The giving of the Torah brought joy to Israel, and the descent of rain brings joy to all the nations and to all the world, to beasts, to birds, and to wild animals, as it says (Psalms 65:10), 'You visit the earth and water it; You greatly enrich it.' Rabbi says, 'You satisfy its desire,' as it says (Genesis 3:16), 'And to your husband will be your desire.'"...

Another interpretation of "Praise the Lord, all nations" is that Israel says to the nations of the world, "Praise the Lord!" And the Lord says to Israel, "Praise the Lord!" The groom says, "Praise the Lord!" to the bride, and the bride says, "Praise the Lord!" to the groom. In the future, the nations of the world will also say "Praise the Lord!" at the time when Israel is redeemed from among them, as it is written in Psalms 102:23, "When the peoples are gathered together."

And it says in Psalm 98:2, "The Lord has made His salvation known." Therefore, it is said, "Praise the Lord, all nations." Rabbi said, "Praise the Lord, all nations." Rabbi Shimon asked his father, our holy teacher, and said to him, "Who are all the nations and who are all the peoples?"

He said to him, "All the nations are the Gentiles who enslaved Israel. All the peoples are those who did not enslave them." They said, "What about those who enslaved Israel? If they praise the Lord, how much more so should we, who were not enslaved by them?"

They began to say, "His mercy has prevailed over us." The earth said, "The truth of the Lord endures forever." What is "the truth of the Lord endures forever?" It is the truth of the covenant that God made with our forefathers, as it says in Leviticus 26:42, "And I will remember My covenant with Jacob."

Another matter: "And the truth of the Lord endures forever." The Lord enticed Elijah to go and appear before Ahab, as it is stated: "And the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, 'Go, show yourself to Ahab'" (1 Kings 18:1). Elijah said to God: "How can I go, for until now he has not repented?" The Lord said to him: "When I watered My world, there was one patch of land that did not receive any rain, as it is stated: 'And a mist would rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground' (Genesis 2:6). Even now, go and show yourself to Ahab, and I will give rain."

Another interpretation: "These praise the Lord." When Abraham was thrown into the fiery furnace, Gabriel wanted to descend and save him. God said to him, "I am alone in My world, and he is alone in his world" (as it says, "Abraham was one" in Ezekiel 33:24). It is appropriate for the unique one to save the unique one, as it says, "I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans" (Genesis 15:7).

God said to Gabriel, "Even so, I am not reducing your reward, for in the future, Abraham's descendants will descend into the fiery furnace to sanctify My name, and you are standing and saving them." When Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were thrown into the fiery furnace, Yurkami, the prince of hail, stood before God and said, "Master of the Universe, I am the prince of hail, let me descend and extinguish the furnace."

Gabriel said to him, "I am the prince of fire, I will go down and cool it from the outside and heat it from the inside, and I will perform a miracle within a miracle." God said to him, "That is appropriate. Descend to save them." Hananiah said, "These praise the Lord, all the nations."

Mishael said, "All the peoples should laud Him." Azariah said, "For His kindness endures forever." Gabriel answered and said, "And the truth of the Lord endures forever." "What is 'and truth' [Hebrew: 've'emeth']?

It is the thing that You spoke to me in the days of Abraham. 'And truth of the Lord endures forever' - Hallelujah. Another explanation: the three letters of 'emeth' testify to its truth - Aleph is the first letter, Mem is the middle letter, and Tav is the last letter. This is what is written (Isaiah 44:6) 'I am the first and I am the last.'"

"Praise the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever." This is what the verse says (Isaiah 3:10), "Say to the righteous that it is good." When a person mentions the righteous, they should mention them for good, as it says, "Say to the righteous that it is good." And when one mentions the wicked, they should mention them for evil, as it says (Isaiah 3:11), "Woe to the wicked for their evil deeds."

Similarly, it says (Proverbs 10:7), "The memory of the righteous is a blessing." And so too, when the Holy One, blessed be He, mentions Abraham the righteous, He blesses him, as it says (Genesis 18:17), "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?" What is written afterwards? (Genesis 18:18) "Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation." And when one mentions Amalek, they curse him, as it says (Deuteronomy 25:17), "Remember what Amalek did to you."

What is written afterwards? (Deuteronomy 25:19) "Blot out the memory of Amalek." Therefore, say to the righteous that it is good. Another interpretation of "Say to the righteous that it is good" is that the fruit of their deeds will be eaten, as blessings produce fruit, while curses do not, as it says, "Woe to the wicked for their evil deeds, for what their hands have done will be done to them." The term "fruit" is used here only to teach that no fruit is produced from curses.

Another interpretation of "Say to the righteous that it is good" is that the Holy One, blessed be He, calls the righteous good. On Rosh Hashanah, all nations stand in judgment before the Holy One, blessed be He, and each nation says, "We have triumphed in judgment." But on Yom Kippur, the Holy One, blessed be He, pardons Israel and forgives their sins, as it says (Leviticus 16:30), "For on this day He will forgive you."

Yet, we still do not know who won the judgment, whether Israel or the nations of the world. When the holiday of Sukkot arrives, all Israel take their lulavs and proclaim their faith in the righteous one of the world, as if he has come and conquered, and they know that Israel has won the judgment. Therefore, say to the righteous that it is good