Midrash Tehillim Reader

Another thing to you, God. This is what the scripture says (Psalms 31:6): "Into Your hands I entrust my spirit." In the custom of the world, people entrust their deposits to someone, and that person replaces one person's deposit with another's. However, the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that, as it says (Jeremiah 10:10): "But the Lord is the true God."

Perhaps someone stood up in the morning and sought his soul and did not find it. Or maybe he found his soul in someone else's hand, or someone else's soul was in his hand. Therefore, it is said, "But the Lord is the true God." Rabbi Alexander said that people entrust flesh and blood with new things, and he returns them worn out and broken.

However, the Holy One, blessed be He, entrusts worn out and broken things, and He returns them renewed. You should know that this worker works all day, and his soul is exhausted from it and happy. And when he sleeps, he is exhausted and completes his soul for the Holy One, blessed be He, and it is entrusted to Him. And in the morning, it returns in a new creation, as it says (Lamentations 3:23): "New every morning, great is Your faithfulness."

Rabbi Shimon said in the name of Rabbi Simon that from the fact that You renew us every morning, we know that Your faith in our redemption is great. When the Temple stood, if a person sinned, he brought a sacrifice and atoned for himself. Now that we have no sacrifice, our soul is entrusted to You, and we have nothing to rely on but Your mercy. "To You, God, I entrust my soul."

Rabbi Yehuda says that even the Holy One, blessed be He, grants us more forgiveness than we deserve (Isaiah 55:7): "And to our God, for He will abundantly pardon."

Another thing from you, God. Solomon said (Proverbs 25:25) "Cool water to a weary soul". David was tired and his soul yearned to be in the Temple, as it says (Psalms 26:8) "I love the house where you dwell" and (Psalms 84:3) "My soul longed, and even pined for the courts of God". (Psalms 27:4) "One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life".

God said to him, "You don't know who will ascend the mountain of the Lord." He should keep his hands clean and his heart pure. One who possesses these two qualities should immediately be happy and say "I have them". As it says (1 Samuel 13:14) "The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart".

Therefore it is said, "Cool water to a weary soul." And it says (Psalms 119:106) "I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep your righteous laws." He receives two rewards: the reward for action and the reward for oath. Therefore it is said of you, "I have trusted." Rabbi Yitzhak said, "In your Torah there are twenty-two letters."

Another thing, O Lord, I have trusted in You. There was a story about a man named Kiston who was a great person and had a name in the country. There was another man there, and the guards of the country passed by and found one innkeeper and captured him. He said, "Do not do this to me, for I am a son of the king's house."

When they heard this, they released him and kept him until morning. In the morning, they brought him to the king and said, "We found your son last night." The king said to him, "My son, do you know me?" He said, "No." The king said, "Then how are you my son?"

He said, "I beg you, I am not your son, but I trusted in you." He said to them, "Since he trusted in me, leave him alone." And so David says, "In You, O God, I have trusted, so let not my enemies rejoice over me. And not only me, but all those who hope in You shall not be ashamed."...

The traitors shall dry up in vain. Rabbi Pinchas said that King David, our Master of the world, said, "When I stand in prayer before You, may my prayer not be despised before You, because the eyes of Israel are dependent on me and my eyes are dependent on You. If You hear my prayer, it is as if You have heard their prayer." And similarly, we find in the public fast, when the congregation is fasting, the cantor goes down before the ark, and the eyes of the congregation are dependent on him, while his eyes are dependent on the Holy One, blessed be He, and He hears their prayer. Therefore it is said, "None of your petitioners shall be desolate."

"Make known to me Your ways, O Lord." Rabbi Berachiah said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: "It is compared to a physician who had a disciple and taught him all types of healing except for a certain wound. The physician said to the disciple, 'You have taught me all types of healing except for this particular wound. Please teach it to me.'

Similarly, Moses said to God, 'Make known to me Your ways.' And it says, 'He made known His ways to Moses' (Psalms 103:7) and 'Show me Your glory' (Exodus 33:18), meaning the way that You conduct the world."God replied to Moses, "You cannot comprehend My ways." Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Resh Lakish: "Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, 'When I said to You, "They will soon stone me" (Exodus 17:4), You appeased me.

And likewise when I argued with the Israelites, You appeased me. As it says, 'And Moses took the tent and pitched it outside the camp' (Exodus 33:7). And it teaches us to learn from the humble, to be like the disciple to his teacher. Rabbi Yehuda said, 'It says, "Anyone who seeks out Moses" (Exodus 33:7), but it should have said, "Anyone who seeks out God."

This teaches us that whoever seeks out the face of an elder is considered as if he seeks out the face of the Divine Presence.'" God said to Moses, "You have two hot-headed individuals in your midst, the teacher and the disciple. If that is the case, go back to them." As it says, 'And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face' (Exodus 33:11).

I don't know what this verse means. When it says, 'And return to the camp' (Exodus 33:14), it teaches us that God allowed Moses to rescind his vow and brought the tent back into the camp. At that moment, Rabbi Acha found his opening to pray to God to make known to Israel the ways of God." As it is said (Deuteronomy 32:4), "The Rock! — His work is perfect."

And similarly, we find in Samuel the Ramathite that he was held in the same esteem as Moses, as it is said (Jeremiah 15:1), "Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me..." And it is said (Psalm 99:6), "Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel among those who called on His name." And you can find that everything written about one is also written about the other. This one is Levi, and this one is Levi.

This one sang a song, and this one sang a song. This one was king over Israel, and this one was king over Israel. This one reigned for forty years, and this one reigned for forty years. This one waged wars, and this one waged wars.

This one killed kings, and this one killed kings. This one built altars, and this one built altars. This one offered sacrifices, and this one offered sacrifices. This one read from the Torah, and this one read from the Torah.

This one prayed for Israel, and this one prayed for Israel. This one served as a priest, and this one served as a priest. Another thing: "Inform me, please, of Your ways" (Exodus 33:13). He said before Him, "Inform me, in what manner do You deal with the nations of the world?"

He directed me in His truth and taught me, for You are my God, and for You, I waited all day long. And is it possible for a person to pray all day long? Rather, since this world is a day for the nations of the world and a night for Israel, therefore, I waited for You all day long....

Remember your mercy, Lord, and your steadfast love. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that this is a practice of piety that was observed by Adam, the first man. For it is written (Genesis 2:17), "for on the day you eat from it you will certainly die." But had it not been for the one day that You, God, granted to him, which was like a thousand years, how could he have produced offspring? Indeed, from the beginning of time they have existed, from the days of Adam.

"Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions," said Rabbi Yudan in the name of King David. "May my sins and transgressions be as my sins of youth. Just as my sins of youth were not actual sins, so too all my sins will not be actual sins." "Remember me according to your kindness," he said. Rabbi Elazar gave a parable of a king who made a great feast and said to his steward, "Invite wise men and not common people or laborers." The steward said to him, "My lord the king, your feast is so great that only common people and laborers will suffice." So David said, "Remember me according to your kindness, for the Lord is good to all." Rabbi Yosei bar Hanina gave a parable of a king who made a feast and invited guests who were supposed to arrive at four, five, and six o'clock, but did not come. As the evening wore on, the guests began to show up. The king said to them, "I need to hold a great feast for you, for if you had not come, I would have thrown the food to the dogs." So too, the Lord said to the righteous, "I am holding a great good for you, for I created my world for you. For if not for you, to whom would I have given all the good that I have prepared for the future?" As it is said (Psalm 31:20), "How great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you."...

"Good and upright is the Lord; therefore, He instructs sinners in the way. Another explanation: Why is He good? Because He is upright. Why is He upright? Because He instructs the repentant in the way. Rabbi Avin said: On every word and every letter, he [Moses] stood and made a crown, and on every crown, he engraved the divine image [of God], and his hand was bent [from the effort], showing the place where the cities of refuge were to be located. Therefore, instruct sinners in the way. Similarly, Pharaoh struck him with hail and said to him (Exodus 9:19), 'Send away your livestock.' All the ways of the Lord are loving-kindness and truth. One may study any Talmud [teaching]."

Who is this man? This is Abraham, as it says (Genesis 20:7), "Now therefore, restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live." He feared the Lord. This is Abraham, as it says (Genesis 22:12), "Now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only one, from Me." He will guide us in the way to choose, as he was taught a good way to know God's name, as it says (Genesis 17:1), "Walk before Me and be perfect." His soul leaned toward good. He is buried in the cave, and his descendants will inherit the land, as it says (Genesis 24:7), "The Lord, the God of heaven, Who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and Who spoke to me and Who swore to me, saying, 'To your offspring will I give this land'."

Another man, who is he? This is Joseph, as it says (Genesis 37:15), "And a man found him, and behold! he was wandering in the field, so the man asked him, saying, 'What do you seek?'" He feared the Lord, as it says (Genesis 42:18), "On the third day, Joseph said to them, 'Do this and you will live, for I fear God.'" He will guide us in the way to choose, as he did not sin with his master's wife.

His soul leaned toward good. He is buried in the cave, and his descendants will inherit the land, as it says (Numbers 32:33), "So Moses gave to them, to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben and to half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon, the king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, the king of Bashan, the entire land with its cities and the territory surrounding them."

Another man, who is he? This is Levi, as it says (Deuteronomy 33:8), "About Levi he said: 'Your Thummim and Urim belong to the man of your kindness, whom you tested at Massah and with whom You quarreled at the waters of Meribah." He feared the Lord, as it says (Malachi 2:5), "My covenant was with him, life and peace, and I gave them to him, and the fear with which he feared Me, he was in awe of My Name." His soul leaned toward good. He is buried in the cave, and his descendants will inherit the land, as it says (Numbers 25:13), "It shall be for him and his descendants after him as a covenant of an eternal priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and atoned for the children of Israel."...

The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him. Initially, He reveals it to those who fear Him, and afterwards, to the righteous. As it is said, "The secret of the Lord is with the upright." Rabbi Simon said, "There are no secrets for the upper ones, but there are secrets for the lower ones."

It once happened that Rabbi Yosi ben Durmaskis went to greet Rabbi Eliezer in Lod and asked him, "What new thing was taught in the study hall today?" Rabbi Eliezer replied, "They counted and concluded that Ammon and Moab tithe the tithe of the poor in the Sabbatical year." Rabbi Yosi said to him, "Your hands are extended, and your eyes are open." Rabbi Eliezer also extended his hands and received his eyesight.

Then Rabbi Eliezer wept and said, "The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him. Go out and tell them not to be confident in their counting, for this is the tradition I received from Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, who heard it from his teacher, and his teacher heard it from Moses at Sinai: Ammon and Moab tithe the tithe of the poor in the Sabbatical year." When Rabbi Yosi's vision was restored, he returned to the people and related the tradition to them.

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Was David really both lonely and poor? But isn't it written (1 Chronicles 7:15) that David was the seventh son? And it is written (2 Samuel 22:28) "You save an afflicted people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down." Rather, David said before God, "Since I have been appointed king over Your people, their eyes are upon me, and my eyes are upon You, for they are many and I am alone against them." Therefore, "I am lonely and afflicted." My enemies see me and they multiply, hating me with unjustified hatred. If Esau hated Jacob because he took the birthright, he still had to deal with him through the law. But what did David do to the barbarians and the Antonites?

To David, judge me, O Lord, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man. One verse says (Psalm 143:2), "And enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." And another verse says (Psalm 35:23), "Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me." Rather, when you judge the righteous, do not enter into judgment with me. But when you judge the wicked, judge me, O Lord. Another interpretation: until the judgment is not yet finished, judge me. But once the judgment is finished, do not enter into judgment with me.

Another thing is what the scripture says (Proverbs 12:1): "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge." There are four who were punished. One was punished and kicked. This was Job, who was punished and kicked.

Likewise, it says (Job 10:2): "Let me know why You contend with me. Is it right for You to oppress me?" I know that You have the power, and You do as You please. (Job 34:30) "That the godless man should not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people." This was punished and kicked.

The second was punished and played with. This was Abraham, as it says (Genesis 17:17) "Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, 'Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?'" And why was Abraham similar to a king who swore to hit his son and said to him, "My son, I have sworn to hit you"?

The son replied, "The power is in your hand." He hit him and thought that his son would say "Enough," but once he hit him, the father said, "Enough, I have hit him." Similarly, (Genesis 17:1) "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am El Shaddai; walk before Me and be blameless.'" I have hit him enough.

The third was punished and asked his beloved not to hit him. This was Hezekiah, as it says (Isaiah 38:2) "Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, and said..." Rabbi Nathan said: He was also punished and kicked, as it says (Isaiah 14:31) "Wail, O gate! Cry, O city!

Melt away, O Philistia, all of you! For smoke comes out of the north, and there is no straggler in his ranks." This tells us that his blows were as severe as those of Job. In Job it is written (Job 19:20) "My bones cling to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth."

And in Hezekiah, it is written (Isaiah 38:13) "I composed my soul as a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother's lap, so is my soul within me." This tells us that even the skin of his teeth was taken away. The fourth said, "Why is the strap hanging?

Direct me with it." This was David, as it says to David, "Judge me, O LORD." And likewise, Solomon says (Proverbs 12:1) "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge." And David also says (Psalm 94:12) "Blessed is the man whom You discipline, O LORD."

"Test me, O Lord, and try me. Test me like Abraham, as it is written (Genesis 22:1), 'And God tested Abraham and he withstood the test.' Try me like Isaac, who was tested and stood firm. Refine my kidneys; refine me like Joseph, who was refined and found trustworthy.

When he was tested, he said, 'I have no strength, please do not judge me harshly,' as it is written (Psalm 143:2), 'And do not enter into judgment with Your servant.' But even so, God did not turn away from him in judgment, but rather wrote about him, as it is written (I Kings 15:5), 'For David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.' From this we learn that a person should not become arrogant and say, 'I am sure of myself.'

Look at David, who possessed all these qualities, as it is said (Psalm 26:3), 'For Your kindness is before my eyes, and I walk in Your truth. I do not sit with deceitful men, and I hate the congregation of evildoers. I will wash my hands in innocence; I will say, 'Do not come into judgment with me.''" "Furthermore, it is said (Ecclesiastes 7:20), 'For there is no righteous man on earth who does good and does not sin.'

And Solomon says before God that a king who hires workers and they do their job well, he should pay them their due wages, and this is considered a great virtue. When is the king praised? When he hires wicked workers who do not do their job well and still pays them their wages, and this is a great act of kindness. And it is also said (I Kings 8:57), 'May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers.'"

I hate the congregation of evildoers. Which congregation is this? The congregation of Korah, as it is said (Numbers 16:19), "And Korah assembled all the congregation against them." And which congregation do I love? (Exodus 35:1) "And Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel." (1 Kings 8:1) "Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel." And I will not sit with the wicked. This is the congregation of Korah, as it is said (Numbers 16:26), "Depart now from the tents of these wicked men."

I will wash my hands with cleanliness, so that it is through legitimate means and not through theft, as it is taught (Mishnah Sukkah 3:11), "A stolen or dried-out palm branch is invalid." I will be free of violence and theft, so that I do not become a prosecutor turned into a defendant. And afterwards, "I will surround Your altar, O Lord" (Psalms 26:6). As it is taught, "Every day the altar is surrounded once and they say (Psalms 118:25), 'Please, O Lord, save us now!'"...

"I have loved the Lord." This is equivalent to the creation of Your world. In the beginning, it is written (Genesis 1:1) "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." And in the Tabernacle, it is written (Exodus 26:7) "And you shall make curtains of goats' hair." On the second day, let there be a firmament and let it divide. In the Tabernacle, it is the partition. On the third day, let the waters gather together. In the Tabernacle, it is written (Exodus 30:18) "And you shall make a bronze basin, and its base also of bronze, for washing." And water shall be put therein. On the fourth day, let there be luminaries. In the Tabernacle, it is written (Exodus 25:31) "And you shall make a lampstand of pure gold." On the fifth day, let the waters bring forth living creatures. In the Tabernacle, it is written (Exodus 25:18) "And you shall make two cherubim of gold." On the sixth day, let man be created. In the Tabernacle, it is written (Exodus 28:1) "And take unto yourself Aaron your brother." On the seventh day, they finished and consecrated it. And in the Tabernacle, it is written (Numbers 7:1) "And it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle." This is the meaning of what is written (Deuteronomy 4:26) "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day." To hear [this] in the voice of gratitude. Rabbi Avin said: This [Psalm] contains elements of the past and elements of the future. (Psalm 106:1) "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good."

Do not gather with the sins of my soul. These are the stoned and burned. And with people of blood, my life. These are the killed and strangled.

Another matter, these are the Egyptians. For Jacob says (Genesis 47:29) "Please do not bury me in Egypt." Rabbi Yochanan said we find in two places about the righteous who pray that they not be gathered with the wicked. Daniel said (Daniel 2:18) "to request compassion from the God of Heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions would not be destroyed."

David said, "Do not gather with the sins of my soul." Rabbi Chalfata in the name of Rabbi Ibu said (1 Samuel 25:38) "And it came to pass about ten days later, that the Lord struck Nabal, and he died." But isn't a plague only for three? It was taught: On one day, the death of anger; for two, death by panic; for three, death by plague.

And Rabbi Chalfata ben Shaul taught: for four, death by excision; for five, the suffocating death (see Masechet Shabbat); for six, the death mentioned in the Torah; for seven, the death of love; and from here onwards, the death of suffering. What did you see to say that Nabal died from the plague? But the scripture connected his death to the seven days of mourning for Samuel the Righteous so that he would not interfere with the mourning and die in a plague.

Rabbi Brechia in the name of Rabbi Samuel said, "And it came to pass about ten days." It does not say here "and it came to pass about ten days." Rather, it says "the days." These are the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, so that one may repent.

And it was recorded that the man touched the bones of Elisha and came back to life and stood on his feet. He returned to his house, but he only lived for an hour and died and was buried elsewhere, as it says "Do not gather with the sins of my soul." And who was the son of the Shunammite woman? As it says (2 Kings 4:18) "And it came to pass on a certain day that he came and went into his father."

And "And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were upon the earth" (Genesis 7:10). Rav Hoshaya said that this teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He, waited for seven days of mourning for Methuselah the righteous to repent, but he did not repent. This is based on the verse "Do not gather my soul with sinners".

"Those who commit lewdness are in their hands." Rabbi Pinchas HaKohen Bar Chama said: These are people who play with dice, who calculate with their left hand and support themselves with their right, and they rob and steal from each other.

"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)."

Another matter, a lamp to my feet. When did David say this verse? When he was going to the Valley of Rephaim. Nevertheless, he did not go to battle until he inquired with the Urim and Thummim if he should fight against the sons of Manasseh who fell upon him, as it is stated in Chronicles 1:12:21, "As he was going to Ziklag, Manasseh's raiders fell upon him, etc." They helped David and killed the raiders, as it is stated in Samuel 1:30:17, "And David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day, etc." And who was enlightening them?

Lightning and thunder were lighting the way for him. "Be my light, O Lord, and my salvation." Similarly, when he was going to the Valley of Rephaim, he did not go to battle until he inquired with the Urim and Thummim. Also, when Samuel came to anoint David, the angels were arguing before the Lord, saying, "Master of the universe, why are you taking the kingship away from Saul and giving it to David?"

He said to them, "I will show you the difference between Saul and David. Saul went and inquired with the Urim and Thummim. When he saw the Philistines, he said to the priest, 'Withdraw your hand,' and he did not finish what he was saying, as it is stated in Samuel 1:14:19, "And it came to pass, as Saul talked unto the priest, etc." But David, when the Philistines attacked him in the Valley of Rephaim, at that very moment, he began to inquire with the Urim and Thummim, as it is stated in Samuel 2:5:22-23, "And they continued to attack and scatter in the Valley of Rephaim.

And David inquired again of God, and God said to him, 'Do not attack them from the front, rather circle around and come against them from the balsam trees, etc.' And David attacked them, etc." And why did He give him a sign with the tops of the balsam trees and not from behind them? Rabbi Berechiah said, "Because they were all thorns." And whenever Israel is in distress, etc. (Job 14:1) If a man dies, will he live again?

All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. Regarding the symbol given to Job, Rabbi Berechiah said that it was placed at the beginning of the book because it is full of thorns. As long as Israel is in distress, their suffering is before Him, as it says, "I am with him in trouble" (Psalm 91:15). When the Philistines approached and Israel saw them only eight cubits away, they asked David, "What shall we do?"

He replied, "We have already been commanded from Heaven not to stretch out our hand against them until we see the tops of the trees waving." If we do reach out to them, they will kill us. It is better to die innocent than to die guilty. Instead, let us and you direct our eyes to our Father in Heaven.

As soon as we put our trust in God, all the trees began to wave. They immediately reached out and struck the Philistines, as it says, "So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines" (2 Samuel 5:25). God said to His angels, "See what is between Saul and David. Who caused David to be saved and His word to shine upon him? Be a lamp to his feet."

...Another explanation. 'The LORD is my light and my help...' My light by the sea, as it says "...and it lit up the night..." (Exodus 14:20) And my help by the sea, as it says "...Stand by, and witness the deliverance which the LORD will work for you..." (ibid. v. 13) Whom should I fear? "But Moses said to the people, “Have no fear!" (ibid.) The LORD is the stronghold of my life, "The LORD is my strength and might..." (Exodus 15:2) Whom should I dread?

"Terror and dread descend upon them..." (ibid. v. 16) When evil men assail me, "As Pharaoh drew near..." (Exodus 14:10) To devour my flesh, "...My desire shall have its fill of them..." (Exodus 15:9) R' Shmuel bar Nachmani said: the wicked do not leave this world until they announce their own verdict upon themselves. This is what is written "I will pursue, I will overtake" (ibid.) It does not then say 'we will divide' but rather "I will divide the spoil" (ibid.) I will be divided.

It is they, my foes and my enemies, who stumble and fall, "Who hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Sea of Reeds..." (Psalms 136:15) From here forward Israel said 'Should an army besiege me...' meaning the army of Egypt, '...my heart would have no fear.' 'should war beset me, because of this would I be confident.' 'This' always refers to Torah, as it says "This is the Teaching..." (Deuteronomy 4:44) The rabbis explained this verse as referring to Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. 'my light,' on Rosh Hashanah.

'And my help,' on Yom Kippur. 'When evil men assail me,' this refers to the idolaters. 'To devour my flesh,' when they come to accuse Israel and say before the Holy One: these (meaning themselves) are idolaters and those (meaning Israel) are idolaters as well! 'my foes and my enemies,' the numerical value of the letters of hasatan (the accuser) is 364. Every day of the year he has the authority to make accusations, except on Yom Kippur (and Rosh Hashanah).

For this reason Israel said 'Should an army besiege me,' meaning the idolatrous nations, 'my heart would have no fear.' 'Should war beset me, because of this would I be confident,' R' Levi said: because of the bequest which you wrote in the Torah "Thus only shall Aaron enter the Shrine..." (Vayikra 16:3)

One time I asked God for something. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said to ask for sovereignty. You found David asked for only one thing, while Solomon asked for two, as it says (Proverbs 30:7-8), "Two things I ask of You; do not deny them to me before I die. Remove falsehood and lies far from me; do not give me poverty or riches; provide me with food in my allotted portion." (Proverbs 30:9) "Lest, being sated, I renounce and deny You and say, 'Who is the Lord?'

Or, being impoverished, I take to theft and profane the name of my God." He asked him which was the harder of the two, and he said the latter. Why did God give up on idolatry, sexual immorality, and murder, but not on desecration of His name, as it says (Ezekiel 36:39), "As for those who follow their abhorrent practices, they will suffer the consequences. I will place their conduct on their own heads, declares the Lord God," and "But you, House of Israel, shall no longer profane My holy name with your gifts and your abhorrent things."...

Another thing I asked. God replied, "At first you said, 'I asked one thing, to dwell in the house of God.' But then you said, 'To behold the beauty of God and to visit His sanctuary.' I say before you, Master of the Universe, that the servant should not be equal to his master. At first, you did not ask much of me, as it says, 'And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you, but to fear the Lord your God.' But then, you asked for many commandments, as it says, 'To walk in all His ways and to love Him.' Be content with being a servant, so that you may be like your master."...

"For He will hide me in His tabernacle on an evil day; He will conceal me in the concealment of His tent; on a rock He will raise me up. And now, my head will be raised up above my enemies around me." Rabbi Yaakov interpreted a verse in Joshua 8:30, "Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal." Rabbi Yosei bar Chanina said, "The altar was only dismantled by a prophet."

And what is the reason for "Be careful not to offer your burnt offerings anywhere you please" (Deuteronomy 12:13)? Elijah used to offer sacrifices on Mount Carmel during the time of the prohibition of altars, every day. Rabbi Shmuel said, "He accomplished all these things with his words" (1 Kings 18:36). "If the people of Israel return in repentance, the rains will come for them."

Rabbi Yonatan brought a verse from the book of Judges 6:25, "That night the Lord said to him, 'Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.'" Rabbi Acha said, "Seven sins were committed with Gideon's bull: it was made from an Asherah tree, it had flawed stones, it was an unclean animal, it was worked and made foreign, it was slaughtered at night, and it was sacrificed on a high place."

I only have Gideon to refer to. Samuel is also cited as an example in 1 Samuel 7:9, "Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered him." Samuel was still young and a Levite at the time.

"If I did not believe in seeing the goodness of the Lord. Zevadi the son of Levi said: Any place where it is stated 'if not for the merit of the forefathers' and the verse (Genesis 43:10) states 'for had we not delayed.' We ourselves would not have gone from there in peace except for the merit of the forefathers. Rabbi Yochanan said: Every 'if not for' is due to the merit of the Almighty, as it says (Isaiah 1:9) 'if not for the Lord of hosts.' Rabbi Levi said: It is due to the merit of the Torah, as it says (Psalms 119:92) 'If Your Torah had not been my delight.' And it is due to the merit of faith, 'If I did not believe in seeing the goodness of the Lord.'

'Hoping in the Lord.' Rabbi Chiyah bar Abba said: 'If you pray and repeat your prayer, then be certain that your prayer has been heard, and it will ultimately be fulfilled.' What is the reason for 'hoping in the Lord'? Strengthen your heart, and hope in the Lord."

To David: Unto you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. My rock, do not be silent from me. As it says in the verse (Lamentations 3:24), "My portion is the Lord, says my soul." Israel says, "Our portion is only the Holy One, blessed be He," as it says, "My portion is the Lord." And the Holy One, blessed be He, says, "My portion is only Israel," as it says, "For the Lord's portion is His people" (Deuteronomy 32:9). Therefore, when Israel prays, He answers them immediately, as it says, "Unto You, O Lord, do I lift up my soul."...

Another thing I will call out to you, O Lord. As it says in the scripture (Isaiah 26:13), "O Lord our God, other lords than you have ruled over us, but we acknowledge your name alone." What does "other lords" mean? It means that they have humbled us, as it is written (Proverbs 27:22), "Even if you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly."

Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said, "They have humbled us like a husband who demands of his wife," as it is written (Deuteronomy 24:1), "Suppose a man enters into marriage with a woman but she does not please him because he finds something indecent about her, and so he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house." (Isaiah 26:13) We will acknowledge your name and praise it, for you have not performed miracles for us until you have hallowed your name among us.

The wicked Nebuchadnezzar decreed that we should worship foreign gods and bow down to images. We offered our lives for the sanctity of your name, so that we would not transgress against you, as it is written (Daniel 3:16-18), "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us.

But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.'" Immediately his anger was kindled, as it is written (Daniel 3:19), "Then Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face twisted and he ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual." Rabbi Yochanan said, "He decreed that if they were bound with one cord, they should be bound with seven.

The Rabbis said, 'If he heats the furnace seven times hotter, he should heat it forty-two times hotter.' When they saw this, they offered themselves to the flames to sanctify the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. Where did they learn this from? From the frogs.

What is written about them? (Exodus 7:28) 'In your ovens and your kneading bowls.' When are kneading bowls found near an oven? When the oven is hot. This teaches us that they offered themselves to the flames to sanctify the name of the Holy One, blessed be He.

What happened to them? All the frogs died, but those that went into the oven did not die because they had given themselves over to be burned in order to fulfill the decree of the Holy One, blessed be He." Todus, a Roman man, said, "From here we learn that if the frogs, who have no merit from the Patriarchs and no covenant, did not die because they gave themselves up for the sanctity of God's name, how much more so should we, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who have the merit of the Patriarchs and are commanded to sanctify God's name."

Plutin, a Roman man, said, "They learned it from the Torah, as it is said, (Devarim 4:29)'But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him.' The Rabbis said they learned it from Jeremiah, as it is said, 'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.'" (Jeremiah 29:13)...

Another thing I will call out to You, Lord. As it says in the verse (Proverbs 16:19), "Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud." Happy is the person who takes care of the oppressed and behaves humbly. But woe to the person who takes care of the wicked, as they will take care of their own interests and then depart from the world.

As it says (Psalms 37:10), "A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found." The Holy One, blessed be He, has said that even for a brief moment, the wicked will enjoy their own pleasures in this world and then they and their helpers will descend to Gehenna. Likewise, it says (Jeremiah 49:10), "For I have stripped Esau bare; I have uncovered his hiding places." David said, "I will not eat at their table or sit among them."...

Another thing, I call to You, O Lord, to you I raise my voice. As the scripture says (Proverbs 16:19), "Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud." Blessed is the person who takes care of the oppressed and behaves humbly. Woe to the person who takes care of the wicked, for they take what is theirs and depart from the world, as it says (Psalms 37:10), "A little while, and the wicked will be no more."

The Lord said that in one hour, the wicked eat what is theirs in this world and then descend to hell, along with their helpers and anyone who participates with them. Thus it is written (Jeremiah 49:10), "For I have sworn by Myself, saith the Lord, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes." David said, "I will not eat at their table, nor will I sit with them."

Another message to David, I call to You, O Lord, my rock, do not be deaf to me. Do not drag me away with the wicked. Rabbi Abba bar Zerayya said from the gardens of the tribes, You know their praise. It is written (Genesis 37:4), "And they hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him."

What was in their heart was on their lips. But further on (2 Samuel 13:22), "But Absalom spake unto Amnon neither good nor bad." What was in their heart was not on their lips. For they do not understand the actions of the Lord.

Hezekiah said, "These are the times." Rabbi Yehoshua said, "These are the stories." And the Rabbis said, "This is the recitation of the Shema that we read, 'who creates light and makes darkness, who forms mountains and creates the wind, who brings forth bread from the earth.' Just as God created the two great lights (Genesis 1:16), He will destroy them in this world and will not rebuild them in the world to come."...

"The Lord is my strength and my shield." Rabbi Simon said: This can be compared to a king who had one pearl. His son came to him and said, "Give it to me." The king said, "It is not yours." The son persisted and the king eventually gave it to him. Similarly, the children of Israel asked God to give them the Torah. God said, "It is not yours, it is from the heavenly realms." However, once they persisted, God gave it to them, as it says, "The Lord will give strength to His people" (Psalm 29:11). Rabbi Yochanan said that the people of Israel gave God a song of thanks for giving us the Torah, as it says, "And from the songs of our gratitude."...

Psalm of David: Give to the Lord, O sons of the mighty, give to the Lord glory and strength. This is what is said in the book of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 34:22), "I will save my flock, and they will no longer be a prey." And what shall I do for them? David said, "I will shepherd them," as it is said (2 Samuel 5:2), "One shepherd shall be over them, and he shall shepherd them, even my servant David."

David said to God, "You are my savior and my shepherd," as it is said (Psalm 28:9), "Save your people." God replied, "I am holding them back; pray before me." Give to the Lord, O sons of the mighty (give to Him). Another explanation: sons of the mighty, sons of the deaf, children who have something to respond to God but do not.

Isaiah says (Isaiah 42:19), "Who is blind but my servant? Or deaf as my messenger? I will send." And it also says (Genesis 22:14), "And Abraham called the name of that place The Lord will see."

God said to him, "I wanted to answer you, but you did not answer me, and you were silent." God asked, "What should I have answered you?" Abraham replied, "Yesterday, you said to me (Genesis 21:12), 'In Isaac shall seed be called to thee.' And now you say to me, 'Take your son.'"

God asked, "Which one of them is the only one?" Abraham replied, "This one is the only one of his mother, and this one is the only one of his mother." God said, "Whom you love." Abraham replied, "I love them both."

God said, "Isaac." Just as I wanted to answer you and you did not answer me, so too, when your children sin, remember this time and turn your face to them, As it is written (Numbers 6:26), "May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you." Just as I have lifted up My face to you, so it is said (Psalms 29:1), "Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength." Another explanation: "sons of the mighty" refers to those who are slaughtered like rams.

Abraham said, "I will sacrifice," and Isaac said, "I will be slaughtered." Give glory to His name. When I mention His name, you should give Him glory, just as Moses said (Deuteronomy 32:3), "For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God!" Pray before Him, and they asked him, "From where do we know how to begin?"

He said to them, "What is written at the beginning of the section? 'Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty.'" This refers to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So too, bless with the first blessing, "God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob."

And what is the second mention? "Glory and strength." So too, give glory to His name, for He revives the dead. And what is the third mention?

"Glory to His name." So too, bless Him, the Holy God. They counted for him eighteen blessings corresponding to the eighteen mentions that David said in "Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty."...

A Psalm, a song for the dedication of the House, of David. Rav Ḥisda said: There is no difference between the Sanctuary of the tribe below and the Sanctuary of the tribe above, i.e., the Temple below corresponds precisely to the Temple above. Rabbi Abba asked: What is the meaning of “O God, the Lord of hosts; hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.

Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of Your anointed. For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalms 84:9-11)? The phrase “O God, the Lord of hosts” is a reference to the place where the Divine Utterances issue forth to the world, as it is stated: “For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3).

And it is written: “God in His holy dwelling place, is a father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows. God settles the solitary in a house; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a parched land” (Psalms 68:6).

Another explanation of Psalm Shir HaMaalot Chanukat HaBayit. This is what the verse (Job 41:3) means: "Who preceded Me, that I should repay?" Who thought in his heart to do a mitzvah before Me and I did not reward him for it? Who performed a commandment and I did not give him the reward before he even did it?

Who made tzitzit and I did not give him the reward before he made the garment? Who made a fence for his roof and I did not give him the reward before he built the house? Who gave charity and I did not give him the reward before he gave the coins? Whoever thought in his heart to do a mitzvah, but did not do it, I credit him as if he did it.

For David thought to build the Holy Temple and it is named after him, as it says, "A Psalm, a Song of Dedication of the House, for David" (Psalms 30:1).

Another psalm, a song for the dedication of the house, by David. This is what the scripture says (Psalm 149:5): "Let the faithful exult in glory, let them sing for joy on their couches." When the righteous depart from this world, three companies of angels attend them: one says (Isaiah 57:2) "Peace be upon him," another says, "Let them sing for joy on their couches," and a third says, "He is going in peace, and his going is in the hands of the Lord."

Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yoshiya: It is as if the Holy One, blessed be He, says to the departed, "Peace be upon you." From whom did you learn this about the wicked? As it is said (Isaiah 57:21), "There is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked." If God said this to the wicked, all the more reason for Him to say "peace" to the righteous.

Therefore, "Let the faithful exult in glory." What is the glory that the Holy One, blessed be He, bestows upon the righteous when they depart this world and praise Him? Rabbi Chiya bar Yosei said: There is no difference between the living righteous and the dead except for speech alone, and they praise the Holy One, blessed be He, saying that He has placed them in the bundle of life, as it is said (1 Samuel 25:29), "But the soul of my lord shall be bound up in the bundle of life."

"Let them sing for joy on their couches." "Sing for joy" means nothing other than dancing, as it is said (Psalms 118:15) a voice of singing and salvation in the tents of the righteous." Rabbi Yochanan said: "When an elder sits and teaches and his lips move and murmur in the grave, it is said (Song of Songs 7:10) 'Your palate is like the best wine.' And it is written (ibid. 7:9) 'Your lips drip honey.'

Therefore, let us rejoice in their beds. David said (Psalms 23:6) 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.' Did David think that he would live forever? Rather, Rabbi Yehuda said that this should be said in synagogues and study halls.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Even though you are dead, your name does not depart from My house forever. Rather, with every sacrifice that is brought, they mention you and recite songs of yours, such as a Psalm of David.' Moreover, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Since you intended to build the Temple, even though your son Solomon built it in your name, I will call it by your name and write it as a song of David, as it is said, "A Psalm, a Song for the Dedication of the House, of David" (Psalms 30:1). Only for David and not for Solomon is it said.'"...

Another thing is a Psalm for the dedication song. This is what the scripture says (Psalm 32:13): "The Lord's unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him." Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nehemiah said that the measure of punishment is primary, and it does not yield good fruit, while the measure of good produces good fruit, as it says (Hosea 10:12): "Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love."

What does God do? He collects a person's sins and then gives them their reward. The rabbis said that even if God does not immediately collect a person's sins, as it says (Ezra 9:13): "You, our God, have punished us less than our sins deserved." Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei bar Hanina said, "The hand with the scales is like the hand with sins and the hand with merits."

And what does God do? He inclines the scales toward mercy, as it says (Psalm 32:13): "The Lord's unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him." Rabbi Yosei bar Hanina said, "What does God do? He snatches the bill of sins that is in one hand and the merits are immediately decided."

As it says (Micah 7:18): "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?" Rabbi Nehemiah said, "If a Gentile intends to commit a transgression, even if God did not carry it out, He considers it as if he did it." For he says (Deuteronomy 26:5), "An Aramean tried to destroy my father." But where did Laban destroy Jacob?

Rather, because he intended to do so, the scripture considers it as if he had done it. And if a non-Jew intends to perform a mitzvah, it is not written for him until he does it, as it says (Daniel 6:15), "Even until the sun rose." And the Holy One, blessed be He, did not consider it against him until he did it. And if an Israelite intends to commit a sin but does not do it, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not write it until he does it, as it says (Micah 2:1), "Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds."

David said, "If I had seen iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have heard me" (Psalms 66:18). And if one intends to perform a mitzvah but is prevented from doing so, the Holy One, blessed be He, considers it as if he had done it. Know that David intended to build the Temple, and even though he did not build it, it was written in his name, as it says, "A psalm, a song for the dedication of the House, by David" (Psalms 30:1).

From this we learn that anyone who is distressed over a matter is called by his name, as we find with Moses, who was distressed over the Torah and is called by his name, as it says (Malachi 3:22), "Remember the Torah of Moses, My servant." Similarly, David, who was distressed over the Temple, is called by his name, as it says, "A psalm, a song for the dedication of the House, by David."

Another explanation of the verse "Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another" (Malachi 3:16): Rabbi Chiya, in the name of Rabbi Abba, said that this refers to the time when the sages sit together and engage in Torah study. They debate with one another, similar to what is said in Psalm 47: "He subdued peoples under us." God stimulates their conversation, as it is said in Malachi 3:16: "Then the Lord listened and heard." Rabbi Yaakov bar Zebedi said in the name of Rabbi Abbahu that God illuminates their homes. Rabbi Abba said that this is why the sages are called "mar" (master), which means that they are masters of the world.

Another explanation is regarding Psalm 30: A song of dedication of the House. This is because the Holy Temple was built twice: once by King Solomon and another time by Ezra. Therefore, it is called "a psalm" for the first Temple and "a song" for the second.

Psalm of David: In you, Lord, I have taken refuge. As it is said in the scripture (Isaiah 50:10), "Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God." When Israel enters synagogues and says before the Lord, "Redeem us," He tells them that there are righteous and God-fearing people among them. They reply that in the past, during the days of Moses, Aaron, Saul, David, and Solomon, there were righteous people, but now they have been taken away from them because of their sins. As it says in Isaiah 57:1, "The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil." And it says in Psalm 12:2, "Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts." We have no one to rely on, for everything we do leads us into darkness, as it is said in Isaiah 50:10, "Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going." The Lord tells them to trust in His name, for He is their support. As it says in Isaiah 50:10, "Let them trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God." And He will save anyone who trusts in His name, as He saved Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who trusted in Him, as it says in Daniel 3:28, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants!" And Daniel trusted in Him, and He saved him from the pit, as it says in Daniel 6:24, "And the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, 'May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!'" David said, "Since this is the confidence that anyone who trusts in You will be saved, I also trust in You."

Another thing in you, O Lord, I have taken refuge. As it says (Isaiah 45:17), "Israel shall be saved by the Lord." The children of Israel said before the Holy One, Blessed be He, "Every day that we are enslaved, we are ashamed. But our redemption will not cause us shame, for your redemption is the redemption of the world.

You are the salvation of the world." The term "world" is used, not "worlds." The Holy One, Blessed be He, said, "I am the one who redeemed you, and I am the one who will redeem you, as it is said (Isaiah 43:1), 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you.' It is written not 'I have redeemed you' but 'I have redeemed you.'

I have spoken and done it. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said, "I have said that I will redeem you as I have redeemed you before." As it is written (Jeremiah 31:10), "For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and redeemed him from the hands of his conqueror." It is not written here 'him' but 'his redeemer.'

The children of Israel said before Him, "We have already been redeemed by Moses, and likewise by Joshua, and also by the judges and kings, and yet we are still subject to servitude and we are ashamed as if we were never redeemed." The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them, "In the past, your redemption was by human agents, but now it is by Me alone, for I am alive and will exist forever. Therefore, your redemption is the redemption of the world."

As it is said (Isaiah 45:17), "Israel shall be saved by the Lord, the salvation of the world." Therefore, you shall not be ashamed or disgraced forever. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them, "When you were young, you had the strength to be ashamed, but now that you are old and do not have the strength, you shall not be ashamed or disgraced." David, our Master, said that when the redemption comes, we will not be ashamed, as it is said, "In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge. Let me never be put to shame." (Psalm 71:1)...