Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai began: “He stood and assessed the earth” (Habakkuk 3:6). The Holy One blessed be He assessed all the nations and did not find a nation that was worthy of receiving the Torah other than [the Israelites in] the generation of the Wilderness.4Some assert that the text should read: The Holy One blessed be He assessed all the nations and did not find a nation that was worthy of receiving the Torah other than the Israelites.

The Holy One blessed be He assessed all the generations and did not find a generation worthy of receiving the Torah other than the generation of the Wilderness (Yefe Toar; Etz Yosef). The Holy One blessed be He assessed all the mountains and did not find a mountain that was worthy for the Torah to be received upon it other than Sinai. The Holy One blessed be He assessed all the cities and did not find a city in which the Temple should be built other than Jerusalem.

The Holy One blessed be He assessed all the lands and did not find a land worthy to be given to Israel other than the Land of Israel. That is what is written: “He stood and assessed the earth. He saw and disbanded [vayater] [nations. Endless mountains exploded; eternal hills were laid low.

The ways of the world are His]” (Habakkuk 3:6). Rav said: He permitted [hitir] the blood of the Canaanites and permitted [seizure of] their property. He permitted their blood: “You shall not allow a soul to remain alive” (Deuteronomy 20:16). He permitted their property, as it is stated: “You shall consume the spoils of your enemies” (Deuteronomy 20:14).

Rabbi Huna said: He removed [hitir] their weapon belts, as it is written: “He loosened the bonds of kings” (Job 12:18). Ulla Bira’a said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: This is analogous to one who went out to the threshing floor and his dog and his donkey were with him. He loaded five se’a onto his donkey and two se’a onto his dog. The donkey was walking and the dog was collapsing.

He took one from it and placed it upon the donkey. Nevertheless, [the dog] was collapsing. He said to it: ‘When you are loaded, you collapse [and even] when you are not loaded you collapse.’ So too, when the descendants of Noah were unable to bear even the seven mitzvot that they received, He arose and unloaded them to Israel.5God removed the seven mitzvot from the nations of the world, such that, even if they perform them, they receive reward only as one who is not commanded, which is less than the reward for one who fulfills a mitzva he is commanded to fulfill.

Now, only Israel has the status of those commanded to fulfill mitzvot (Bava Kamma 38a). Rabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilai said: This is analogous to a doctor who entered to visit two ill people, one [with a prognosis] to live and one [with a prognosis] to die. To the one [with a prognosis] to live, he said: ‘Eat this, do not eat that.’ Of the one [whose prognosis] was not to live, he said: ‘Give him anything that he wants.’

So too, of the idolaters, who are not destined for life in the World to Come, it is written: “Like green vegetation I have given you everything” (Genesis 9:3). But for Israel, who are destined to life in the World to Come: “This is the animal that you may eat” (Deuteronomy 14:4).