What is, “to whom You took an oath by Yourself”? Ḥizkiya, Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi],10Some maintain that the proper version of the text should read: Ḥizkiya ben Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Ḥizkiya said: Moses said: ‘Had You taken an oath to their ancestors by the heavens and by the earth, what you are doing to them would be appropriate, that You are eliminating their children. Why?
Just as the heavens and the earth will cease to exist, so, Your oath to them will pass. Master of the universe, did You not take an oath to their ancestors by Yourself that You will not eliminate their children? Did You not say to Abraham: “I have taken an oath by Myself” (Genesis 22:16)?’ What is, “I have taken an oath by Myself”?
The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Just as I live and endure forever and ever, so too, My oath endures forever and ever.’ That is, Moses spoke well, when he said: “To whom You took an oath by Yourself.” Act for the sanctity of Your name, so Your name will not be profaned. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It was due to the merit of the patriarchs and the merit of the tribes that the Holy One blessed be He did so.
From where do you know that Moses mentioned the tribes here? Isaiah came and articulated it, as it is stated: “Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your inheritance” (Isaiah 63:17). From here, that the tribes are called servants. Therefore, you expound, “remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel” – these are the patriarchs; “Your servants” – these are the tribes.
He immediately reconciled with them, as it is stated: “The Lord reconsidered the evil” (Exodus 32:14). When the prophet saw this, he said: “But the Lord did not say that He would erase the name of Israel” (II Kings 14:27). Rav Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan of Beit Guvrin: We find that the Lord said He would erase Israel in the [incident of the] calf and the spies, and he says: “But the Lord did not say that He would erase [the name of Israel]” (II Kings 14:27)?
Rabbi Levi said: Since He said to Moses: “Let Me be” (Deuteronomy 9:14), He opened an opening for [Moses] so that he would ask for mercy on their behalf. That is, “but the Lord did not say that He would erase the name of Israel.” Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Since He said to him: “I will render you a great nation” (Exodus 32:10). That is, “but the Lord did not say that He would erase the name of Israel.” Why? Because Moses is from Israel.