Midrash Tehillim Reader

Another thing that the verse (Psalms 6:11) says is "Let all my enemies be ashamed and terrified". Rabbi Yochanan said that in the future, God will judge the wicked and return them to Gehenna. Therefore, it is said "Let them return and be ashamed." And Rabbi Yochanan said that in the future, he (God) will judge them and remove them from the world.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said that in the future, God will bring all the nations of the idolaters, and they will call to their gods, but He will not answer them. When they see that they are not answered, as it is written (Isaiah 50:2) "When I called, you did not answer", they go before God and complain to Him, saying, "Our God, you did not answer us; now we have come to you." Immediately, He judges them and removes them from the world.

Said Rabbi Yochanan: do not say "in the future" but rather [God removes them] even in this world God did the same to Sisera and to Sennacherib, and removed them from the world. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "See how powerful shame is, as it is mentioned twice (in the verse), and in it, with words, God shames the idolatrous nations and blesses the righteous, as it is written (Isaiah 45:17), "But Israel shall be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end."

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "If not for the book of Ezekiel, only the verse (Ezekiel 16:63) "So that you may remember and be ashamed" (that is written in it) would suffice. But (the verse continues) "and never open your mouth again" (which is not written in it). That is enough. When David saw that this is the power of shame, he began to pray about it and said, "In you, Lord my God, I put my trust; save me from all those who persecute me and shame me forever."...

Another thing that the verse (Psalms 97:7) said is, "All those who serve idols will be ashamed." Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rav Nachman, "In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will give real significance to idolatry that will come and bow down to the Holy One, blessed be He, and afterward, it will be ashamed of its worshippers." Rabbi Pinchas said, "In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will give speech to the gentiles, and it will speak before its worshippers in the future, saying to them, 'You have acquired eternal life and have bowed down to the one of whom it is said, "They have a mouth, but cannot speak."

And you have made the subsidiary the primary.' Rabbi Yochanan said, 'Do not wonder, for when the Holy One, blessed be He, descended on Sinai, He gave strength to the gentiles, and they bowed down to Him.' Rabbi Tachlifa quoted a supporting verse (Psalms 97:7), 'All gods bow down to Him.' 'They shall bow down to Him' means only that they shall bow down to Him, as they already bowed down to Him on Sinai.

Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nechemia said, 'Just as the gentiles were shattered into pieces, so were its worshippers shattered into pieces,' as it is said (Zechariah 14:12), 'This shall be the plague.' And the rabbis say, 'Just as the gentiles were burned with light, so were its worshippers burned with light,' as it is said (Zechariah 14:12), 'And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that waged war against Jerusalem - their flesh shall rot away while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall rot in their sockets, and their tongues shall rot in their mouths.'"

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, Rabbi Shmuel, and Rabbi Nehemia say: When the Holy One, blessed be He, will sit in judgment of the Gentiles and the Jews in the future, He judges the Jews favorably, and the Gentiles are ashamed. And what does the evil inclination do? It tries to sow discord between them, and they say: We seek justice that will be reversed. What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do?

He judges them and obligates them, and they are ashamed again. If they had remained silent, they would have been ashamed only once. Therefore, they will be doubly ashamed in the future. And in the future, when every nation of Gentiles calls upon their god, some calling to the moon and some to the sun, they will not be answered because they are not real gods, and they will be ashamed, as it is said: "Let all the worshippers of graven images be ashamed."

Then they will come before the Holy One, blessed be He, and He will say to them: "You have made the insignificant significant, and I make the significant insignificant, and I do not answer you because you did not come to Me first. If only you had come to Me first, I would have answered you, as it is said: 'They cried out, but there was no savior; to the Lord, but He did not answer them.' These are their gods, but they did not call out to the Lord."

This is the Holy One, blessed be He, who does not answer them. Therefore, twice they shall be ashamed. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will judge Israel and purify them, and give a crimson garment to the righteous to enter the Garden of Eden, and bring the wicked into Gehenna. Then He will take them out and bring them into the Garden of Eden, saying to them, "Behold, there is a place for the righteous and additional empty places."

So that you will not say, "If we had repented, there would not have been any room for us in the Garden of Eden with the righteous." He will then take the righteous out of the Garden of Eden and bring them into Gehenna, saying to them, "Behold, there is a place for the wicked and additional empty places." So that you will not say, "If we were obligated, there would not have been any room for us in Gehenna."

Rather, the wicked will inherit Gehenna for themselves and for you. As the verse says, "Instead of your shame you shall have double" (Isaiah 61:7). David said, "To whom does the shame belong? To the wicked," as it says, "Let the wicked be ashamed, let them be silent in the grave" (Psalm 31:18).

Rav said, "Anyone who finds fault in it will not see the good in it," as it says, "How great is your goodness, which you have hidden away for those who fear you" (Psalm 31:20). Rabbi Abdimi from Haifa said that the Holy One, blessed be He, will make 310 worlds for every righteous person. As it says, "To grant an inheritance to those who love me" (Proverbs 8:21). The letters of "those who love me" (yesh b'gematriya) add up to 310.

Rabbi Yitzchak ben Tardion said that the sword of the Holy One, blessed be He, has sixteen faces. As it says, "Join them one to another into one stick, and they shall become one in your hand" (Ezekiel 37:17). Just as the measure of punishment is minimal, so the measure of good is much greater. Rav Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer bar Avina that the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed the end to Jacob and to Daniel.

To Jacob, as it says, "And Jacob called to his sons" (Genesis 49:1), and to Daniel, as it says, "And he said, 'Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end'" (Daniel 12:9). "And when it comes to revealing the end, what does it say? 'But you, Daniel, seal up the words and seal the book.' Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, 'You have hidden the Torah and the commandments from Me in this world, and I will hide for you the same goodness that is prepared for the righteous in the future world,' as it says, 'How abundant is Your goodness that You have hidden away for those who fear You.'

Rabbi Yudan said that the Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'You do according to your ability, and I will do according to My ability.' Rabbi Yonatan said, 'There are three pleasing languages: the Roman language for war, the Greek language for conversation, and the Assyrian language for prayer. Beware of mixing them up.' "

"Blessed be the Lord, for His mercy has been wondrous to me in the city of Metzor. This is Rome. Love the Lord, all His faithful ones, the Lord preserves the faithful. These are those who respond "Amen" with faith.

One says "Blessed be He who revives the dead," and they still have not come, yet they believe in me that I revive the dead. One says "Blessed be He who redeems Israel," and they still have not been redeemed except for an hour, and they returned and were subjugated. And they believe that I am destined to redeem them. Be faithful, for the Lord preserves the faithful.

Rabbi Acha bar Ada said: "And you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him" (Malachi 3:18). A person should not make his Torah a spade to dig with or a crown to adorn himself with. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: "Between him who serves and him who does not serve" - it is not similar to one who repeats his chapter a hundred times to the one who repeats it a hundred and one times. As it is written, "Be strong and let your heart take courage, all who wait for the Lord."...

I hate the vain watchmen. Gan Eden (Paradise) says "I hate the vain watchmen." And whom do I love? I love those who keep your commandments.

Gehinnom (Hell) says "I love the vain watchmen." And whom do I hate? I hate those who keep your commandments. (Proverbs 30:15) "The leech has two daughters, give, give." Gan Eden says, "Give me what is mine," and Gehinnom says, "Give me what is mine." (Another interpretation) "For my life is consumed with grief."

Rabbi Tanhuma bar Haiya says, "Four things weaken a person's strength: sin, the way (meaning a difficult or challenging path), fasting, and exile. Sin weakens my strength because of my sins, the way (Psalm 119:37) "Turn my eyes away from worthless things," weakens my strength, fasting (Psalm 109:24) "My knees give way from fasting," weakens my strength, and exile (Lamentations 1:14) "My strength is gone and so is my hope," weakens my strength."

Rabbi Tanhuma also said, "Even the narrowness is good for one who accepts it," as it is said (Psalm 38:11) "My heart pounds, my strength fails me, even the light has gone from my eyes."

"To David, the intelligent one, fortunate is the one who is forgiven of sin. This is what the verse says (Proverbs 15:24), 'The path of life leads upward for the wise.' One who looks upward, what is written about him is that the path of life leads upward for the wise. The sons of Korach who looked upward were saved, as it says (Psalm 34:6), 'Look to Him and be radiant.'

But their father, who did not look upward, went down below, as it says (Numbers 16:33), 'They went down alive into Sheol.' Similarly, with David, who looked upward, he was saved, as it says, 'To David, the intelligent one.' You also find this with Nebuchadnezzar, as it says (Daniel 4:34), 'I raised my eyes to heaven.' What about the wicked who are obligated to God?

When they look upward, God forgives them. For Israel, who are the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, if they look up even more so. David said, 'I look upward,' as it says, 'To David, the intelligent one.' And one who looks upward is covered for sin.

It also says (1 Samuel 18:14), 'David had success in all his endeavors, for the Lord was with him.' And it says (1 Samuel 18:15), 'Saul saw that he was very successful, and he was afraid of him.' Because he was successful, he was covered for sin, as he would desist from his actions and confess before God. As it says (Psalm 32:5), 'I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not conceal my iniquity.'"...

"Blessed is the man who does not think the Lord counts his sins. Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda said that if a person makes complete repentance, the Holy One, blessed be He, is merciful and forgives him. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov said that sins for which one has already given thanks in this year should not be given thanks for in another year. Concerning this, the verse says (Proverbs 26:11), "Like a dog that returns to its vomit."

The Sages say that for sins for which one has given thanks in this year, one must give thanks for them in another year, in order to fulfill what is said (Psalms 51:5), "My sin is always before me." What did Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov do with this? He answered that one should keep them in mind, but not mention them aloud. Rabbi Pinchas said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Papa, "Since you have no disgrace of this year's sins, do not speak falsehood.

Do not boast about not having any sins this year." Rabbi Huna bar Abba said, "I wrote about myself as if I had forgotten, 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?' They are like debtors. It also says (Isaiah 49:15), 'Can a woman forget her nursing child?'

Therefore, David said, 'Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered' (Psalms 32:1). He has no deceit in his spirit, and he does not pray with deceit. 'The Lord's loving-kindness surrounds him' (Psalms 32:10). 'Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous ones' (Psalms 32:11).

Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Berachiah, "Let not the righteous say, 'We have been excluded from the ranks of the upright.' Even the righteous are given rejoicing, as it says (Psalms 33:1), 'Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous ones.' Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said, 'There are 248 limbs in a person, and there are 248 positive commandments in the Torah. If you fulfill one of the 248 commandments in the Torah, I fulfill one of the 248 limbs in your body, as it says (Psalms 34:21), 'He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.'

Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, 'The Holy One, blessed be He, said (Isaiah 43:24), 'I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.'"

The righteous rejoice in the Lord. As it says (Song of Songs 4:11), "Your lips drip nectar, my bride; honey and milk are under your tongue." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I love to hear your voice. Whether in praise or in joyous exultation, do not withhold your voice." (Exodus 15:14) "For your voice is sweet."

They said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Jacob rejoices over whom? Not over me." It is joyous to me whether in praise or in joyous exultation. And so it says (Jeremiah 31:6), "Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob."

And it also says (Song of Songs 4:11), "Your lips drip nectar, my bride; honey and milk are under your tongue." Your speech is so sweet, like honey and milk. In your palate (Song of Songs 7:10), "And your palate is like the best wine." In your throat (Psalm 149:6), "May the high praises of God be in their throats."

Everything is rejoicing. The righteous rejoice, as it says, "The righteous rejoice in the Lord." And the wicked rejoice as well. Pharaoh rejoiced when Moses and Aaron came, and he began to say, "The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked."

But the wicked do not rejoice before Him until He brings punishment upon them. But the righteous do rejoice in the Lord, as it says, "The righteous rejoice in the Lord." Here it is written "in the Lord," not "to the Lord." While they were seeing, they immediately sang, as it says (Shemot 15:1), "Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord."

And similarly, it says (Vayikra 9:23-24), "Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown."

And likewise, it says (Divrei Hayamim 2:7:3), "When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, 'He is good; his love endures forever.'" Therefore, David said, "Sing to the Lord, you who are righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him" (Tehillim 33:1).

Everything sings before Him, the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, and the stars of light. The angels also sing, as it says (Tehillim 103:20), "Praise the Lord, you his angels." Although everything sings before Him, the singing of the righteous and the upright is more pleasing than anything else, as it says (Tehillim 33:1), "Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him."

Give thanks to the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy (Tehillim 33:2-3). This is for the One who made something new, who laid the heavens and established the earth, as it says (Shemot 25:8), "And let them make me a sanctuary."

"God fulfilled David's desires in his old age. As it says in Ecclesiastes 3:11, 'God has made everything beautiful in its time.' Rabbi Tanchuma taught, 'God created the world in its proper time.' This teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He, created worlds and destroyed them when they were not fit to be created.

He said, 'This is fitting for Me, and this is not fitting for Me.' Rabbi Simon said that it was fitting for Abraham to be created first, before Adam. But God said, 'If I create Abraham first and he fails, there will be no one to fix it. Rather, I will create Adam first, so if he fails, Abraham can come and fix it.'

Another interpretation of 'God has made everything beautiful in its time' is that the three righteous people - Adam, Noah, and Abraham - were the foundation of the world. Everything God did was beautiful in its time. Hot fruits are eaten in the winter, and cold fruits are eaten in the summer. Everything God did in His world, He did beautifully.

David said before God, 'Everything You have made is beautiful, and You have done it with wisdom.' And as it says in Psalm 104:24, 'How great are Your works, O Lord! In wisdom You have made them all.' But the foolishness You created, what pleasure is there in it?

When a man walks in the marketplace and tears his clothes, and children run after him and people laugh at him, is this pleasing to You? God said to him, 'David, you call this foolishness, but one day you will need it.' And Solomon said in Proverbs 13:18, 'He who despises instruction will pay the penalty.' What is the penalty he will pay?

He will be drawn towards it, as it says in Exodus 22:24, 'If you afflict him, he will cry out to Me.' Another interpretation of 'David, you call this foolishness' is that you will suffer and pray for it until it is given to you. David did not stop until he went to Achish's house, as it says in 1 Samuel 21:11, 'David got up and fled that day from Saul.' God said to him, "David, you are going to Achish while yesterday you killed Goliath and his brother, who kept the head of Achish, and his blood has not yet been avenged.

And you are going to him with his sword in your hand. When they saw him, they said, 'Hasn't this guy killed our brothers?' They went to Achish and said to him, 'We will kill the one who killed our brother.' Achish replied, 'He did not kill him in battle, and your brother killed him outside of battle.

And now that he has killed your brother, this is not how we deal with him.' (1 Samuel 17:9) If he is able to fight me and defeat me, then he shall rule over you." They replied, "If that's the case, then step down from your throne and give the kingdom to David." And so it is said, "Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel?" And we will be his servants.

They were confused with words. At that moment, David was afraid and began to say, "In the day of my fear, I will trust in you." David began to ask and pray, saying, "Master of the universe, answer me at this hour." The Holy One, blessed be He, asked him, "What do you ask?"

David said to Him, "Answer me with that folly that You created, which I read about You. Respond to me." He said to him, "Did I not tell you that 'He who despises the word will be destroyed'?" Since it is so, I give him to you."

In his years, David explained to Abimelech his reasoning, and Abimelech was righteous as Abraham. When David heard this, he was frightened. And so it is said, "And David put these words in his heart." He acted like a madman and changed himself, and he wrote on the doors that Achish the king of Gath owed him 100,000 and his wife 50.

And his daughter and mother were mad, and they shouted and behaved foolishly. Achish said to them, "Do you not know that I am lacking crazy people like you?" At that moment, David was happy that the madness had worked, and out of that joy, he composed this poem. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "David, madness is good."

This is what is written, "I will bless the Lord at all times." And so it is said, "Do everything beautifully in its time." And so it says in the beginning of Genesis, "And God saw all that He had made, and it was very good."

"God redeems the souls of his servants." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said (Proverbs 25:21), "If your enemy is hungry, feed him bread." What does the verse mean by this? If a person walks with his friend for an hour, he becomes his beloved, and the evil inclination is born with him and grows with him all his days, as it is said (Genesis 8:21), "for the inclination of man's heart is evil from his youth."

If you find a place to defeat it, a son of twenty, or fifty, or eighty, or a hundred, can defeat it. There is no greater enemy than this. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said, "If the evil inclination stands against you, make war with it by studying Torah," as it is said (Proverbs 25:21), "if your enemy is hungry, feed him bread." And if it is thirsty, give it water from the well of Torah, as it is said (Isaiah 55:1), "Ho, every one that thirsts, come ye to the waters."

Why (Proverbs 25:22), "for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." What is it? God will repay you. He will repay us with you.

And it says (Proverbs 16:7), "When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." Let all my bones say, "LORD, who is like unto Thee, Who delivers the poor from him that is too strong for him?" Rabbi Acha said, "He who saves the good inclination from the evil inclination, the poor and needy are rescued." There is a greater robbery than this (Ezekiel 18:24), "But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity."

Rabbi Yitzhak said in the name of Rabbi Menachem, "Every righteous person has a world in himself and a paradise in himself," as it is said (Psalms 36:9), "For with Thee is the fountain of life; in Thy light do we see light."

"To David, may the Lord contend with my enemies. This is what the scripture says (Isaiah 51:21): "Therefore, listen to this, you afflicted one, made drunk, but not with wine." From what am I made drunk? From troubles, but not from wine.

Because they are standing against me and I have no one to fight for me except you. And so it says (Psalm 9:13): "For the avenger of bloodshed remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the afflicted." The assembly of Israel said, "If you do not stand for me, who will stand for me? Look at what they are doing to me."

And so it says (Lamentations 3:59-60): "You have seen, O Lord, their reproach and all their schemes against me. You have heard their taunts, O Lord, all their plots against me." "O Lord, my soul's champion, you have seen their insults, and their scheming against me." And so David says (Psalm 70:2): "May You be a refuge for me, O God."

Therefore, David said, "May the Lord contend with my enemies." It is possible for a person to say to his master, "Contend with my enemies, and go out and fight against me." But the Holy One, blessed be He, said to David, "Engage in Torah study, and I will fight your battle." And so Moses says (Numbers 21:14): "Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord: 'Waheb in Suphah and the wadis, the Arnon.'"

If you engage in Torah study, which is written in the book, I will fight for you. Therefore, David said, "May the Lord contend with my enemies."...

"Take up shield and buckler, and rise up to help me." God said to him, "Do I need a shield?" (Psalms 35:2) "Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them on." I breathe upon them and they wither. Likewise, Isaiah says (Isaiah 40:6), "A voice says, 'Cry!' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' (Isaiah 40:7) 'All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field.'" God said to him, "David, what are you doing?" He said to him, "I praise You." And so it says, "All my bones shall say, 'Lord, who is like You?'" (Psalms 35:10)

"To the choirmaster, a psalm of David. An oracle of transgression to the wicked. This is what the scripture says (Deuteronomy 33:29), 'Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord?'

The Holy One, blessed be He, fights the wars of Israel and ensures their victory. And it also says (Deuteronomy 34:11-12), 'For all the signs and wonders, and for all the mighty deeds and the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel, there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.' Only Moses spoke with God. The Holy One, blessed be He, sent him and ensured Moses' victory.

And so Deborah says (Judges 5:12), 'Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam.' And when David went down to fight Goliath the Philistine, what did he say? (1 Samuel 17:46) 'This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.'

And when the women were singing and dancing (1 Samuel 18:7) 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands,' David said to the Holy One, blessed be He, 'You gave me the victory, and I will also give You the victory.' To the choirmaster, a psalm of David. And David looked at Goliath and saw that he was a mighty and fearsome warrior, adorned with all kinds of armor. He thought to himself, 'Who can defeat him?'

But when he saw that Goliath was blaspheming and mocking, he said, 'Now I know that I can defeat him, because he is not afraid of the Lord.' As it is said, 'An oracle of transgression to the wicked.' From here we learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, judges the wicked only when they have no fear of Him. And likewise, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to Israel (Jeremiah 2:19), 'Your wickedness will chastise you, and your apostasies will reprove you.

Know then, and see, how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the Lord your God.' Therefore, it is said, 'There is no fear of God before his eyes.'"...

For he looked at him with his eyes to find his answer to hate. The wicked look in their eyes and search with their hands, and ponder in their hearts to find some sin that the Holy One, blessed be He, hates for them to do. And so it says (Deuteronomy 12:31), "For every abomination of the Lord, which He hates, they have done." Woe to the wicked, for they are all iniquity and deceit and do not do truth between man and his fellow.

Their words are iniquity and deceit, and they ponder iniquity and lie on their bed and think iniquity. And so it says (Psalm 36:5), "He devises iniquity upon his bed." How he stands on a path that is not good! He gave them two paths, one good and one evil, and they abandon the good and walk in the evil.

And so Solomon says (Proverbs 2:13-14), "Those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; who delight in doing evil."

"The Lord in heaven, your kindness. But is kindness only in heaven, and is there no kindness on earth? Rather, the wicked remove kindness. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God.

The Holy One, blessed be He, says to the wicked: these righteous acts that I reserve for those who repent, you take away from them, as it is said, 'Your righteousness is like the mountains of God' (Psalms 36:7). Just as there is no counting the mountains, there is no limit to righteous acts. Just as there is no bottom to the abyss, there is no end to the punishments of the wicked. Just as the mountains are great, so are righteous acts great.

Just as there is no equal to the abyss, there is no equal to the punishments of the wicked. Rabbi Yoshiah the Great said: 'Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, your judgments are like the great deep' (Psalms 36:7). Just as the mountains conquer the abyss so that it will not overflow and flood the world, so do righteous acts conquer sins so that they will not be lost from the world. And so Micah says, 'He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot' (Micah 7:19)."...

"For with You is the source of life; by Your light we see light." Rabbi Yochanan said, "There was a story of someone who was lighting a candle on Saturday night, but it kept going out. He said, 'Until when will I keep struggling with this? I will wait until the sun rises and then I will go out into the light of the sun.'

So too, the Jewish people were enslaved in Egypt, but Moses and Aaron came and redeemed them. They were enslaved again in Babylon, but Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah came and redeemed them. They were enslaved again by Greece, but were redeemed by Mattathias the Hasmonean and his sons. And they were enslaved again by Rome, and they said, 'We have already struggled enough, we will not seek flesh and blood to help us, but only the Holy One, blessed be He.'

As it says, 'O Hashem, shine Your light upon us.' Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, 'The Holy One, blessed be He, says to Israel, 'Do you want to count yourselves among the nations in this world?' They said before Him, 'Master of the Universe, let not my heart be drawn to any evil thing.' Why?

Because they are like those who play with evil. Even in their pleasant gifts we do not seek. As it says, 'I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood.' But what do we desire?

'For with You is the source of life; by Your light we see light.'" Rabbi Oshaya said in the name of Rabbi Pinchas, "In the future, Jerusalem will become a metropolis for all the nations to come." As it says, 'And the nations will walk by its light.' Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said, "While Israel serves in this world, they are servants of the sun and the moon.

But in the future, they will not need them, as it says, 'And the sun will no longer be your light by day.' And who will give them light? The Holy One, blessed be He. As it says, 'And Hashem will be your everlasting light.'

Rabbi Pinchas said in the name of Rabbi Reuven: "The Holy One, blessed be He, will bring the Beit Hamikdash to Tavor and Carmel, and He will give Jerusalem the lead. As it is said: 'And the mount of the house of the LORD shall be established on the top of the mountains' (Micah 4:1)." Rabbi Yehuda said further: "Moreover, they are destined to sing hymns of praise to God, as it says: 'And the city of God shall be established in joyous song' (Psalms 87:3)."...

Draw your kindness towards your devotees. Rabbi Yitzchak said, "Do not draw your kindness towards the nations of the world." Rabbi Yannai said, "If a person lights a candle during daylight, what benefit does he have? And when does he benefit from it?

When it illuminates for him in darkness. And that same kindness that the Israelites did in the desert has been established for them since the days of Moses. And when will it be repaid to them? In times of darkness, as in the days of Jeremiah.

As it is stated, 'Go and call out in the ears of Jerusalem.' Draw your kindness towards your devotees." Rabbi Yitzchak said, "A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth always stands. These are the Israelites who will stand forever.

And there is no land but Israel, as it is stated, 'For you shall be a desirable land.' And so it says, 'Until the day that the land is exiled.' And was the land exiled? Only Israel, who were exiled."

Rabbi Elazar ben Kahana said, "Two generations used the explicit name of God: the Men of the Great Assembly and the generation of the Destruction. It happened with Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi that Elijah, may he be remembered for good, was engaging with him in Torah study, while they were also engaged in the cave of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai. And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi had difficulty with a certain halacha."

Elijah said to him, "Do you want to ask Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai something? Come with me and I will introduce you to him." They immediately went and Elijah called Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, who answered him immediately. Ben Levi came to ask him about a halacha, but was not pleased with the answer he received.

Elijah said to him, "Ben Levi, it is enough for you to see that Rabbi Shimon is a righteous person." Ben Levi replied, "If he were truly righteous, the rainbow would not have appeared during his lifetime." Despite this, the rainbow did not appear throughout the lifetime of Ben Levi. Some say that even in the generation of Zedekiah, they knew the explicit name of God, as it says, "Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am about to turn over to you the instruments of war that are in your hands" (Jeremiah 21:4), which is the explicit name that they used to go out to war and defeat their enemies.

However, once they sinned and the Temple was destroyed, they fell into the hands of their enemies. Rabbi Ibbo and the rabbis say that the angels would peel off the name of God that was engraved on the instruments of war, while others say that it would peel off on its own. Once the Temple was destroyed, they began to go out to war and fall in battle, as it says, "There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation" (Psalms 38:4).

To David: Do not compete with evildoers. As it says in Proverbs 23:17, "Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord." So why envy (them) in the fear of the Lord all day long? Do not envy the candle of the wicked, for you can see how much oil is in it, a quarter or an eighth, (yet) the entire oil (burns) and the candle goes out.

And thus it says (in the same chapter, verse 18), "Surely there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off." And it says (verse 20), "The lamp of the wicked is snuffed out." This is its bright rule. Therefore, David says, "Do not compete with evildoers."

Be zealous for a candle that never goes out, and whose candle does not go out. As it says (Proverbs 6:23), "For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life." Therefore, do not let your heart envy (them). The Lord said, "I am jealous because if there were no jealousy, the world would not exist.

For if Abraham had not been jealous for the Lord, he would not have acquired heaven and earth." And when did he become jealous? When he said to the kings of righteousness, "How did you come out of the ark?" He said to him, "With righteousness that we did."

He said to him, "What righteousness did you have to do, and were there poor people there? There was only Noah and his sons, so for whom did you do righteousness?" He said to him, "About the animals and the birds." We were not sleeping all night, but we were giving (food) to this one and to that one.

Once we delayed ourselves and my father was injured. At that moment, Abraham said, "If these (people) had not done righteousness with animals, birds, and beasts, they would not have come out of there. And because he delayed himself, he almost received his reward and was injured. If I do (good) with human beings, who are in the image and likeness of angels, how much more will I benefit from the harm?"

Immediately (Genesis 21:33), he planted a tamarisk tree. He ate, drank, and rejoiced. And Solomon said (Ecclesiastes 4:4), "And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person's envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Therefore, do not let your heart envy (them) in sin....

"For like grass they will soon wither. The Lord said, 'The wicked are nothing but grass; their hope is in vain.' As it says, 'When the wicked flourish like grass and all evildoers thrive, it is only so that they may be destroyed forever' (Psalm 92:8-9). Similarly, in Job it says, 'He is like a plant that grows in the sun, spreading its roots over a garden; it may grow beautifully, but when the scorching winds blow, it withers away' (Job 8:16-19). How long will they be like this, before they are consumed by fire? As it says, 'They will be trampled down like thorns, burning like fire' (Psalm 118:12). And that is why they will be harvested like weeds."...

"Trust in the Lord and do good." God said to David, "If you see me doing good to the wicked, don't be so upset. Keep doing good and there is no good except for repentance, as it is said, 'Take words with you and return to the Lord' (Hosea 14:3). What if the wicked, who are provoking me and are of no use to me, I did good to them?

With you, who trust in me, engage in Torah study, perform justice and charity, the verse testifies about you, as it says, 'David acted justly and righteously' (2 Samuel 8:15). How much more so in your case, trust in the Lord and do good. Why was David compared to a worker who worked all his days for the king and was not paid his wages? This worker was distressed and said, "Perhaps I will not get anything for my labor."

After some time, the king hired another worker who worked with him for only one day, fed him and gave him his wages. The first worker said, "What is this? He worked only one day and got paid, whereas I worked with the king all my days and got nothing!" He began to rejoice in his heart.

Similarly, David said, "You have put joy in my heart more than when their grain and new wine abound" (Psalms 4:8). When did joy come to my heart? When I saw what you did to the wicked, more than when their grain and new wine abounded. Rabbi Elazar says, "From the suffering of the wicked in this world, you can infer how great the reward of the righteous will be in the world to come."

How much more so if the wicked are like this, the righteous are even more so. This is what is written, "How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you" (Psalms 31:20).

Psalm of David. O Lord, in Your anger rebuke me not. As it is written in Jeremiah 10:24, "Correct me, O Lord, but with justice; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing." I am willing to accept discipline, but not to the point of death, as Proverbs 23:13 says, "Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die."

David says, "Rebuke me in Your anger," meaning that correction is good, as Proverbs 3:12 says, "For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights." But it should not be in anger, which is why it says "in Your anger." David says that suffering is good, as it is written in Psalm 94:12, "Happy is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law." However, we are short-tempered and do not have the strength to endure them.

David says to God, "Master of the universe, we are sinners, and You are angry with us. Because of this, we are not redeemed but remain captive, one by one." As it is written in Micah 7:19, "He will again have compassion on us, and subdue our iniquities." Therefore, it says "rebuke me in Your wrath."

The weaver, while weaving, knows that if he strikes his warp too hard, it will break. Therefore, he weaves with strength when he can, and gently when he cannot. We are the warp and You are the weaver, but we do not have the strength to withstand either wrath or anger. As it is written in Psalm 30:10, "What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit?"

One who does not know how to strike, strikes with the rod over the eyes or the head. But one who knows how to strike, hits the back so as not to blind his eyes or for any other danger. As it is written in Zechariah 13:6, "What are these wounds between Your arms?" These wounds have caused me to love the Father in heaven, as it says, "There is no healing in my flesh because of Your indignation."

Israel began saying (Ezra 9:6), "Our iniquities have increased over our heads." Rabbi Yitzhak said, "To what can this be compared? It is like a man who was crossing a river and his legs sank, and the current swept over him. They said to him, 'The current is sweeping over you and you are lifting up your legs.'

Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, 'Why do you say (Psalms 130:3), "If You, God, were to keep track of iniquities, who could stand?" Let the wicked one turn from his evil ways, abandon your wicked deeds, and I will have mercy on you.' Rabbi Hanina bar Pappa said (Psalms 40:6), 'Your wonders and thoughts which are directed toward us.' Abraham cleared away the obstacles that prevented us from standing in the world.

Rabbi Shimon bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, 'The Holy One, blessed be He, showed Abraham the exiles and so forth,' as it is written in Psalm 92.

To the conductor, a Psalm of David. I said, "I will guard my ways." This is what the scripture says (Proverbs 15:1): "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." The language of evil speech is more severe than idol worship, for when the Israelites sinned in the desert, they were not punished until they sinned with their mouths.

And so it says (Deuteronomy 1:34): "The Lord heard your words," and it says (Numbers 14:28): "As I live, says the Lord, as you have spoken in my hearing, so I will do to you." (Malachi 2:17) "You have wearied the Lord with your words." It says "your words," which means only with your words. And so it says (Isaiah 3:8): "For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen." (Jeremiah 12:8) "My heritage has become to me like a lion in the forest, she has raised her voice against me."

But is her voice one of hatred? Doesn't her voice express love as well? As it says (Song of Songs 2:14): "Let me hear your voice," which means, both your beloved voice and your hateful voice. Therefore, say now (Proverbs 18:21): "Death and life are in the power of the tongue."

"I will guard my mouth with a barrier. And is there a barrier for the mouth? They said yes. (Proverbs 15:4) "A healing tongue is a tree of life." This is referring to the Torah, as it says (Proverbs 3:18) "It is a tree of life to those who grasp it." From here we learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah to Israel only so that they would not be involved in slander and idle talk. Similarly, David said, "Who wants to buy the World to Come?" They said to him, "Who can buy it?" He said to them, "For cheap, as it says (Psalms 34:13-14) 'Who is the man who desires life... Keep your tongue from evil...' " And what is "Let not my mouth speak falsehood" (Psalms 141:3)? From what is one refrained? (Psalms 34:14) "Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

To the conductor, I have hoped, O Lord. This is what the verse says (Isaiah 25:9): "And it shall be said in that day: 'Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us.'" The only thing that Israel has in their hand is hope, so that they may be redeemed in reward for their waiting. And it also says (Lamentations 3:25): "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him." Lest you say (Jeremiah 8:20): "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved," hope in the Lord. And it is written (Psalms 31:25): "Be strong, and let your heart take courage; all you who hope in the Lord." David hoped in me and I answered him. Therefore, I have hoped, O Lord.

"And He lifted me out of the pit of destruction, etc." Did David really descend into a pit? Rather, David said, "I was already on my way down to the pit, and God did not let me fall." And so it says (Psalm 16:11), "You make known to me the path of life." Therefore it is said, "He lifted me out of the pit of destruction," and not only that, but He lifted me up to a high place, as it says (Psalm 18:34), "He made my feet like the feet of deer and set me secure on the heights."

Why did He do this for me? Because of my hope in Him. He did not desire sacrifices or offerings, but rather hope. They asked him, "How do we know that He did this for you?"

He said to them, "From the song that I sing." And He put a new song in my mouth. But aren't all the songs old? Rather, he said to them, "I was already going down to the pit of destruction, and I said to Him, 'Since You have brought me here, give me Your spirit.'

And so it says (Psalm 51:12), 'Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.' For the holy spirit had been taken from him." He said to Him, "You give me Your spirit," and therefore it is said, "a new song."

Many will see and be afraid. Whoever wants to do repentance should look at David. And so it says (Isaiah 55:4) "I have given him as a witness to peoples." Therefore many will see and be afraid. And so it says (Exodus 14:31) "And Israel saw the great hand that the Lord had inflicted upon the Egyptians." Immediately then, Moses sang....

"You have done many things, O Lord (God) [my God]. Abraham clarified the exile, etc. in Psalm 92. Rabbi Yudan, Rabbi Addi, and Rabbi Hama said in the name of an elder that Rabbi Levi said that Abraham did not know how to clarify the exile but from the Holy One, Blessed be He. And this is what Israel says (Psalms 66:12): "You made us ride through fire and water." This refers to the exile. "We entered fire and water" - to Gehenna, which is of fire and water. Rabbi Berachiah said that Abraham stood silent all that day. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him, "Until when will you sit silently?" He then cut the matter, as it is said (Genesis 15:18): "On that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abraham." Your wonders and thoughts towards us are amazing, for our sake, so that we will not be subjugated to Gehenna."

To the conductor, fortunate is he who considers the poor. This refers to what is written in Ecclesiastes 9:14, "A small city with few people in it." The small city refers to a person, and the few people in it are the limbs of the body. And a great king, the evil inclination, comes to it and surrounds it with great fortifications like a mighty army. (ibid. 15) "And he found there a poor man," this refers to the good inclination, who has no one to listen to him in the world. And he saved the city. David said, "Since not everyone listens to him, it is good for me to listen to him." This is what is written, "fortunate is he who considers the poor."

Another thing: "Happy is the one who is attentive to the poor" (Proverbs 19:17). Rabbi Yochanan said, "Anyone who visits the sick diminishes his suffering by one sixtieth, but one who does not visit him adds to his suffering by one sixtieth." Rabbi Abba said, "If it were according to the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan, they would roll out the red carpet for him even for a person of low status." He replied, "As long as they love him like themselves, and even so, they gain from it."

Rabbi Elazar said, "One who buries the dead is fulfilling a mitzvah." Rabbi Abba said, "One who subdues his evil inclination with his good inclination is a wise person." Rabbi Asi said, "One who gives a coin to a poor person, as it is said, 'He who watches over him will be given life.'" And what is the reason for Rabbi Yochanan's opinion?

Because it is written, "The Lord will sustain him upon his bed of illness" (Psalm 41:4). And what is the reason for the opinion that burying the dead is a mitzvah? As it is written, "And he will be blessed upon the earth" (Psalm 41:3).

Another thing - praiseworthy is the intelligent person. Rabbi Yonah said: praiseworthy is the person who is intelligent about his own pleasures. For example, if a wealthy person becomes poor, the intelligent person goes to him and says: "I heard that so-and-so owes you an inheritance, and you owe me money, so when you receive your inheritance, pay me back." This is the mark of an intelligent person.

On a day of trouble, the Lord will save him. There is no day of trouble except for the day of death, the day when the soul departs. The Lord said: "What will I do for you on the day of trouble? I will save you."

As it is written: "On a day of trouble, the Lord will save him." Another thing - which day is referred to as the day burning like an oven in Malachi 3:19? What is written afterwards in Malachi 3:20? "And for you who fear My Name, a sun of righteousness will shine."

What is this sun of righteousness? It is the righteousness that you have done, which will stand for you on that day. It also says in Isaiah 58:10: "And if you offer your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall your light rise in darkness." What is meant by "satisfy the afflicted soul"?

Even if you feed this soul with all the delicacies of the world, after an hour it will want to leave and move on. What is meant by "your light will rise in darkness"? And if one falls ill, may God sustain us, as it is said "May God sustain us on a bed of illness" (Psalms 41:4). But is there such a thing as a bed of illness?

When a person falls ill on Sunday, what does he do? He needs to pray. The same goes for Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, we say "What did He do?" - this refers to confession (vidui).

At that moment, the Holy One, blessed be He, says, "I will make confession before Me like a man who is ill; I will sustain and establish him now." This is why we say "May God sustain us on a bed of illness." And what does it mean that "you turn all his beds in his illness" (Psalms 41:4)? Everything he sinned throughout his life while he was on his feet, God turns into illness for him.

This is why it is written, "you turn all his beds." David said, "That is not the case with me; I said, 'Lord, be gracious to me; my foes speak evil of me'" (Psalms 41:6). But did David have enemies? The verse says, "All Israel and Judah loved David" (Samuel I 18:16), and it is said, "David did what was just and right for all his people" (Samuel II 8:15).

Rather, who were his enemies? Those who wanted to oppress and exploit others, and he would not allow them to do so. They were his enemies.

"And if someone comes to see emptiness, he should speak to his heart. When I enter the synagogues, they say to me, 'May God have mercy on you,' and they pray for me with their mouths, but in their hearts, they seek evil for me. When they pray in front of me, and when they go outside, they speak about me together in a whisper. What is the word of the wicked that they pour out?

They say, 'He is a wise man, David knows what he is doing, he can stand on his own.' But he is a deceitful man, in order to recognize the opinion of each one. That is why it is said, 'the word of the wicked.' They say to me, 'Who said this about you?'

Perhaps a stranger said it to them. I said, 'I will not give their words a place in my heart, but I trust in you, O God. You will be gracious to me and sustain me. As for them, let them be punished.'

David asked, 'What are you going to pay them?' God replied, 'God forbid, I will not pay them any evil.'" (Psalm 35:13) "But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer kept returning to my bosom." They said to him [David], "Who knows what this sackcloth is, and why do you pray for them?" He said to them, "If it is so, may harm come upon me, and may my prayer be upon my bosom."

Therefore, "And You, O Lord, be gracious to me." And the Lord said to him, "Since you have done so, I know that you delight in Me, and in the end, you will be supported by Me. What more can I do for you but bless you? Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen."

To the conductor, for the sons of Korah. This is what the verse (Proverbs 15:24) means: "The path of life is above for the wise." In this psalm, "like a deer that longs for streams of water" - the word "deer" is used instead of "doe," in the masculine form, to indicate remembrance and not female. This deer, when sitting by the water, is distressed and yearns for the Lord, who answers her.

The sons of Korah called out to the Lord in distress, and He answered them. Therefore, it is said, "like a deer that longs." Why "for streams of water"? This deer is a pious animal and, when the animals are thirsty, it longs for the Lord.

This is also mentioned in Psalm 42. Another explanation: Just as the deer yearns for the Lord, so does Esther say (Psalm 22:20), "My strength, come quickly to help me." My soul is thirsty. And what is my soul thirsty for?

She said to him, "I am not thirsty for food or drink, but my soul is thirsty for you. To see your face, I say to my heart, 'Seek His face.'" Therefore, it is said, "My soul thirsts for you."...

"I had my tears. From here we learn that crying satiates a person and he does not feel like eating. And similarly, Elkanah said to Hannah (1 Samuel 1:8) 'Why do you weep?' And he said to her (1 Samuel 1:8) 'Why do you not eat?' From here we learn that crying satiates. Therefore, "I had my tears for bread" (Lamentations 1:16) - this I will remember and pour out my soul within me. I remember what You did to our forefathers in the desert when they said (Exodus 32:4) 'These are your gods, O Israel.' And I remember and pour out my soul within me. Another explanation: I remember what Moses said (Numbers 29:39) 'These you shall offer to the Lord at your set feasts.'"...

"I will pass through the camp with an accounting. What is 'an accounting'? When we go on foot to see Your face with skepticism (like in a Sukkah) and we come with a great multitude, and the nations are silent before us. Therefore, 'an accounting', for I will pass through the camp and go to the House of God. When the Temple stood, the nations were silent before it, but now I am silent. Therefore, 'an accounting'. With a voice of singing, when I passed through the camp, I passed with a voice of singing and gratitude. And what is 'a great multitude'? It is a Greek term for water circles. Just as there was no set amount of water circles for them, there was no set amount for the Israelites when they went on foot. Therefore, 'a great multitude'."...

What will you talk to your soul about and what will you ponder over me? Direct your supplication to God, for we will still praise Him. As in the beginning and in the years that have passed, we will serve and be saved from the nations, salvation that no other god can offer. Therefore, direct your supplication, my soul, to God.

The assembly of Israel says: I am jealous and aggrieved when I see the tranquility of the nations, and I am angry, but what do you care? And I direct my supplication to God. Therefore, I remember you from the land of Jordan. I remember when I crossed the Jordan what you did for us, even though we angered you in Shittim, you performed miracles for us when you brought us across the Jordan.

It is written in Joshua 3: "And Joshua rose up early in the morning and they moved from Shittim." I remember the troubles and miracles you did for us, and we think of other things, as it says in Numbers 14: "The Lord is not able." "Where is His strength?" and in Psalm 87: "This one was born there." Is there a sickness above that does not change its position?

He said to them, the Holy One, blessed be He, in Isaiah 59: "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have separated between you and your God." Therefore, I remember you from the land of Jordan and from the heights of Hermon. Hermon is Sinai, and the heights of Mitzar is the Temple, as it says in Psalms 42: "Deep calleth unto deep."

And you did not do for us the miracles that you did for them. And what have you done for me? All your crises and waves have passed over me. And if you say that I have no merit, did I not command them to slaughter the Passover lamb on the night of the exodus from Egypt? They slaughtered it and were saved. And so it says: "In the daytime, the Lord commands His mercy."...

"I say to God, my rock: Those who were in Egypt only did one commandment and left. As for me, all the commandments that I was commanded, I do, even those that I have forgotten. I observe the new moon and celebrate the holiday of Shavuot on the first of the seventh month, on the tenth of the month, and on the fifteenth of the month. What is the (sacrifice) for the seventh month?

Is there no seventh month other than this? But you say to me every year that whoever comes, I will redeem. Come and redeem me. I say to God, my rock, why have you forgotten me?

Yet, you have written about me, for you are my God, my fortress. Until you redeemed our ancestors from Egypt, they did not give you strength (Exodus 15:2). I will not do so until you redeem me. For you are my God, my strength, and my fortress.

And it also says (Jeremiah 16:19): "The Lord is my strength and my fortress." Why do you walk in darkness? Redeem me as you redeemed our ancestors from the oppression they were under. And it also says (Exodus 3:9): "I have surely seen the oppression."

I have nothing but oppression. Why do you walk in darkness? Did you not send them redemption, as it says (Psalm 105:26): "Moses, His servant, He sent"? And also, He sent two against them, as it says (Isaiah 43:10): "Behold, My servant, whom I uphold."

Therefore, it says, "He sent your light and your truth." God said to them (Malachi 3:23): "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet." Here he is! And the second one (Isaiah 42:1): "Behold, My servant whom I support."

Therefore, it is said, "He will bring me to the holy mountain, and I will come to the altar of God." What do I have to offer except thanksgiving? And so Asaph says (Psalm 79:13): "But we are Your people, and the sheep of Your pasture."

"To the conductor, a wise psalm of the sons of Korah. God, we have heard with our ears. This is what the scripture says (Isaiah 63:12), 'He led them with the right hand of Moses, etc.' From here we learn that when the Israelites left Egypt, they did not have any deeds that would redeem them, and it was not because of their ancestors that the sea was split, but rather to make a name for God. Similarly, it says (Ibid. 14), 'As the cattle go down into the valley.'

And when they were redeemed from Egypt, Moses told them that they were not redeemed because of their own deeds, but rather so that they could tell their children and give glory to God among the nations. As it says (Psalm 96:1), 'Sing unto the Lord a new song.' (Ibid. 3), 'Declare His glory among the nations.' And the sons of Korah said to our ancestors, 'Tell us,' but they themselves also recount how they left Egypt.

And what is the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, that His children recount His glory among the nations? It is that they prophesied about the generations. The sons of Korah said to our ancestors, 'You did it, not us, what benefit do we have in what you did for our ancestors?' And when do we benefit?

When you do a sign with me for good (Psalm 86:17), 'Do a sign with me for good.' The patriarchs worked a great deed in the days of Abraham, as it says (Genesis 15:15), 'And he divided himself against them by night.' Similarly, in the wilderness, the children did a deed for themselves and for their own desire, not for us. And it says (Psalm 47:3), 'God has chosen for us our inheritance.' "

"For our soul is bowed down to the dust" (Psalm 44:26). Rabbi Yitzhak said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham (Genesis 13:16), 'And I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth.' And it is written (ibid. 17:3), 'Arise, walk through the land.' Woe, for our soul is bowed down to the dust!

What is written afterwards? 'Arise, help us' (Psalm 44:27). If we have merits, act with us, and if not, act for the sake of Your Name, as it is said, 'And redeem us for Your mercy's sake' (ibid. v. 27). Rabbi Berechiah said, 'If the kingdom of the true God delays, wait for it in dust, and it will be for salvation.'

The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Moisten your deeds like a rose, and immediately I will redeem you.' What is written afterwards? 'To the conductor upon the lilies' (Psalm 45:1)."

"To the conductor over the white lilies, a wise song of friendship. This refers to what is written (Song of Songs 2:1), 'My beloved has come down to his garden.' This is referring to the sons of Korah. They were not strangers, but anyone who saw them said they were thorns, as it is written (Isaiah 33:12), 'Thorns will sprout like grass in the fire.'

And it is written (Exodus 22:5), 'When a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes...' And it is written (Numbers 16:35), 'And fire came out from the Lord and consumed them.' The sons of Korah, who were lilies, were chosen from among the thorns so that they would not be consumed with them, and the Holy One, blessed be He, saved them.This can be compared to a king who entered a country, and the people of the country came to make for him a crown of gold, studded with good stones and pearls.

They went out and said to each other, 'The king doesn't want a crown of gold; there are lilies here.' Immediately, the people of the country rejoiced. So too, Korah and his assembly said, 'The Holy One, blessed be He, wants vessels of gold.' And the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them (Haggai 2:8), 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine.'

Even the incense (Isaiah 1:13) is an abomination to Me. And what am I asking for? Lilies. The sons of Korah said, 'We are lilies.'

And the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, 'You have been victorious.' Therefore, it says (Psalm 45:1), 'For the conductor, on the white lilies, a song of friendship.'

This psalm is said in three parts: 'To the conductor, on the white lilies, a wise song of friendship.' This corresponds to the three sons of Korah. And because there were three of them, it says 'friendship' three times. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Each and every one of them is a friend of Mine.' How do we know that even Moses, Aaron, and all the great ones were not as eager to hear the song of the sons of Korah, as it says (Psalm 45:1), 'To the conductor over the white lilies, a wise song of friendship'? This teaches us to sing to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it says (Isaiah 54:13), 'And all your children shall be taught of the Lord.'"

Another thing that the verse (Hosea 14:6) said is "I will be like the dew to Israel". This verse is said in reference to the world to come. Just as dew does not harm any creature, so too, the righteous in the future will dwell in the shade of the Shechinah (Divine Presence) and will not be harmed, as it says (Psalms 16:11), "You will fill me with joy in Your presence". Israel said to the Holy One, Blessed be He, "Master of the Universe, when will You redeem us?"

He said to them, "When you descend to the lowest level, at that moment I will redeem you", as it says (Hosea 2:2), "And the children of Judah and the children of Israel will be gathered together". The children of Korah said, "We are in the lowest level", as it says (Psalms 44:26), "For our soul is bowed down to the dust". What is written afterwards? "Rise up, be our help".

The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them, "It all depends on you, just as this rose blooms upward and its heart is directed heavenward, so too, you shall repent before Me and let your heart be directed upward like this rose. At that moment, I will bring the redeemer, as it says (Hosea 14:6), 'I will be like the dew to Israel'. And when will this happen? When he blooms like a rose. Therefore, it says 'To the conductor, concerning the roses'."...