How the Harvest of Tyrants Was Undone by Prayer

"Whose harvest the hungry eats up, taking it even out of the thorns, and the snare gapes for their wealth" (Job 5:5). "Whose harvest" — this is Nimrod. "The hungry eats it up" — this is our father Abraham. "Taking it even out of the thorns" — not with weapon and not with shield, but with prayer and supplication, "and when Abram heard that his kinsman was taken captive, he led forth his trained men" (Genesis 14:14). Rabbi Simeon ben Lakish in the name of Bar Kappara said: Eliezer alone, and the numerical value of "Eliezer" is three hundred and eighteen (Genesis 14:14). "And the snare gapes for their wealth" (Job 5:5) — who pressed in upon the wealth of Nimrod? Abraham and all who joined themselves to him. Another interpretation: "Whose harvest" — this is Pharaoh. "The hungry eats it up" — this is Moses and Aaron. "Taking it even out of the thorns" — not with weapon and not with shield, but with prayer and supplication, "and the LORD said to Moses, why do you cry out to Me?" (Exodus 14:15). "And the snare gapes for their wealth" — who pressed in upon the wealth of Pharaoh? Moses and Aaron and all who joined themselves to them. Another interpretation: "Whose harvest" — this is Sihon and Og. "The hungry eats it up" — this is Moses and Aaron. "Taking it even out of the thorns" — not with weapon and not with shield, but with prayer and supplication, "and the LORD said to Moses, do not fear him, for into your hand I have given him" (Numbers 21:34). And so it presses in upon the wealth of Sihon. Another interpretation: "Whose harvest" — this is Sisera. "The hungry eats it up" — this is Deborah and Barak. "Taking it even out of the thorns" — not with weapon and not with shield, but with prayer and supplication, "from heaven they fought" (Judges 5:20). And so for the wealth of Sisera, Deborah and Barak and all who joined themselves to them. Another interpretation: "Whose harvest the hungry eats up" — this is Sennacherib. "The hungry eats it up" — this is Isaiah and Hezekiah. "Taking it even out of the thorns" — not with weapon and not with shield, but with prayer and supplication, as it is written, "and Hezekiah the king and Isaiah son of Amoz the prophet prayed" (II Chronicles 32:20). And so for the wealth of Sennacherib, Hezekiah and Isaiah and all who joined themselves to them. Another interpretation: "Whose harvest" — this is Haman. "The hungry eats it up" — this is Mordecai and Esther. "Taking it even out of the thorns" — not with weapon and not with shield, but with prayer and supplication, "sackcloth and ashes were spread out for many" (Esther 4:3). And so for the wealth of Haman, Mordecai and Esther and all who joined themselves to them. Another interpretation: "Whose harvest" — these are the thirty-one kings. "The hungry eats it up" — this is Joshua and Caleb. "Taking it even out of the thorns" — not with weapon and not with shield, but with prayer and supplication, "and the LORD said to Joshua, get up, why have you fallen on your face?" (Joshua 7:10). And so for the wealth of the thirty-one kings, Joshua and Caleb and all who joined themselves to them. And by what merit did Israel merit to inherit the land of Canaan? You must say it is by the commandment of the Omer. Therefore Moses warns Israel and says, "you shall bring the Omer of the first of your harvest to the priest" (Leviticus 23:10).