The Right Hand of Heaven Bound Until Israel Is Redeemed

"If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [its skill]" (Psalms 137:5). Bar Kappara said: My end is in your hand and your end is in My hand. My end is in your hand—"and your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 8:14). Your end is in My hand—"If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let My right hand forget" (Psalms 137:5). Rabbi Dosa said: "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let My right hand forget" to work miracles. Rabbi Azariah, Rabbi Abbahu in the name of Resh Lakish: You find that when the sins caused it and the enemies entered Jerusalem, they seized the mighty men of Israel and bound their hands behind them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: It is written, "I will be with him in trouble" (Psalms 91:15)—My children dwell in distress while I am at ease? As it were, "He has drawn back His right hand from before the enemy" (Lamentations 2:3). In the end He revealed it to Daniel: "But go your way to the end" (Daniel 12:13). He said to him, To give account and reckoning. He said to him, "and rest" (Daniel 12:13). He said, And is it well for the world? He said, "and stand" (Daniel 12:13). He said before Him, Master of the worlds, with whom—with the righteous or the wicked? He said, "to your lot" (Daniel 12:13)—with the righteous, who are like you. He said, When? He said, "at the end of the days [keitz ha-yamin]" (Daniel 12:13). He said before Him, Master of the worlds, at the end of the days [yamim] or the end of the right hand [yamin]? He said, At the end of the right hand—at the end of that right hand which is enslaved. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I have set an end for My right hand; as long as My children are enslaved, My right hand shall be enslaved. When I redeem My children, I redeem My right hand. This is what David says, "That Your beloved may be delivered; save with Your right hand, and answer me" (Psalms 60:7). David said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the worlds, when Israel has merit, act for them for the sake of Your beloved Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and when Israel has no merit, act for them for the sake of Your right hand—"save with Your right hand, and answer me." David said before the Holy One: Master of the worlds, why are all who love You delivered from prey, their deeds at ease, as it is said, "and deliver us" [ve-hahlitzenu]? From here the sages established "deliver us" on the Sabbath. David said: why are all who love You, though poor, made rich, as it is said, "He delivers the poor in his affliction" (Job 36:15)? David said: why are all who love You, though weak, made strong, as it is said, "and He shall strengthen your bones" (Isaiah 58:11)? Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Yose bar Zimra: A heavenly voice is destined to burst forth on the mountaintops and say, "A song, sing to the LORD a new song" (Psalms 96:1). Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Hama bar Hanina: A heavenly voice is destined to burst forth in the tents of the righteous and say, "The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous" (Psalms 118:15). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: My right hand is destined to do all these miracles for you, yet Zion says, the LORD has forsaken me, has forgotten me—"And Zion said, The LORD has forsaken me, and the LORD has forgotten me" (Isaiah 49:14).