Hear the Word of the Lord While You Are Still Alive

Pesikta Rabbati 27:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel" (Jeremiah 2:4). Scripture says, "If they hearken and serve Him, they shall complete their days in good; but if they hearken not, they shall perish by the sword" (Job 36:11-12). If Israel hearkens to the Holy One, blessed be He, and serves Him, they fill their days with good, as David said, "The days of our years are seventy years" (Psalms 90:10), and as Moses said, "The number of your days I will fulfill" (Exodus 23:26). You find that the land brought forth fruit in such abundance as it had not done in all the days of the world, so that ten men carried a single cluster of grapes (compare Numbers 13:23). But the year they were exiled from the land, ten men were found who said to Ishmael, "Do not kill us, for we have stores hidden in the field, wheat and barley and oil and honey" (Jeremiah 41:8). Had they hearkened, all of it would have been theirs. Another interpretation: "Hear the word of the LORD." Solomon said, "I praised the dead who have already died" (Ecclesiastes 4:2). Why did Jeremiah say to them, "Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob"? He said to them: hear while you are alive, before you die, for I know that if you do not hear the word of the LORD now, you are destined to hear it in Babylon after you die and become dry bones, as it says, "O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD" (Ezekiel 37:4). So hear in your lifetime, before you die. Another interpretation: "Hear the word of the LORD," so that if evil tidings come upon you they will not harm you, as it says, "He shall not fear evil tidings; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD" (Psalms 112:7). Another interpretation: "Hear your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old" (Proverbs 23:22). Whatever your father tells you, you are obligated to hear; but if he says, "Let us bow to idolatry," do not hear him. Another: "Hear your Father who is in heaven, who treats you as an only son; but if not, He treats you as a servant" (compare Deuteronomy 32:6). When you do His will, He is your Father and you are His son; if not, against your will He is your Owner and you are His servant. Another interpretation: "Hear the word of the LORD," O house of Israel: you nullified all the commandments. I said, "I am the LORD your God" (Exodus 20:2); "They denied the LORD and said, He is not" (Jeremiah 5:12). I said, "You shall have no other gods" (Exodus 20:3); "For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah" (Jeremiah 2:28). I said, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain" (Exodus 20:7); "Though they say, As the LORD lives, surely they swear falsely" (Jeremiah 5:2). I said, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8); "My Sabbaths they profaned" (Ezekiel 20:21). I said, "Honor your father and mother" (Exodus 20:12); "Father and mother they treated with contempt within you" (Ezekiel 22:7). I said, "You shall not murder, commit adultery, or steal" (Exodus 20:13); "Stealing, murdering, committing adultery, and swearing falsely, and burning incense to Baal" (Jeremiah 7:9). I said, "You shall not bear false witness" (Exodus 20:13); "False witnesses have risen against me" (Psalms 27:12). I said, "You shall not covet your neighbor's house" (Exodus 20:14); "They covet fields and seize them" (Micah 2:2). My people, you have nullified all the commandments; yet if you keep even one, the Sabbath, I will pardon you. Therefore it is said, "Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob," and "word" means nothing other than the Sabbath, as it says, "from doing your own pleasure and speaking your own word" (Isaiah 58:13).

Themes

ProphecySabbathRepentance

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