“A bull or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (Leviticus 22:28). “A bull or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day.” Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The righteous one knows the nature of his animal” (Proverbs 12:10), this is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is written in His Torah: “Do not take the mother with the fledglings” (Deuteronomy 22:6).
“The mercy of the wicked is cruel” (Proverbs 12:10), this is Sennacherib, in whose regard it is written: “Mother and children were torn asunder” (Hosea 10:14). Alternatively, “the righteous one knows,” this is the Holy One blessed be He, in whose Torah it is written: “a bull, or a sheep, or a goat.”20Some suggest that the text should read: “A bull or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (see Rabbi David Luria).
“The mercy of the wicked is cruel,” this is the wicked Haman, as it is written: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate [all the Jews, from lad to elder, women and children, on one day]” (Esther 3:13). Rabbi Levi said: Woe unto the wicked, who engage themselves in counsel against Israel and each and every one says: ‘My counsel is superior to yours.’ Esau said: ‘Cain was a fool that he killed his brother during his father’s lifetime, and he did not realize that his father would procreate [again].
I will not do so; rather, “Let the days of mourning for my father approach [and I will kill my brother Jacob]”’ (Genesis 27:41). Pharaoh said: ‘Esau was a fool, as he said: “Let the days of mourning for my father approach,” but he did not realize that his brother would procreate during his father’s lifetime. I will not do so; rather, when they are small, beneath their mothers’ birthing stools, I will strangle them.’
That is what is written: “When you see upon the birthing stool…every son that is born you shall cast him into the Nile” (Exodus 1:16, 22). Haman said: ‘Pharaoh was a fool, as he said: “Every son that is born you shall cast him into the Nile,” but he did not realize that the daughters would marry men and procreate from them. I will not do so, but rather, “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate [all the Jews].”’
Rabbi Levi said: Gog and Magog, too, are destined to say so in the future: ‘The ancients were fools, as they engaged themselves in counsel against Israel, but they did not realize that they have a Patron in Heaven. I will not do that; rather, I will first confront their Patron and then them.’ That is what is written: “The kings of the earth will mobilize” (Psalms 2:2). The Holy One blessed be He says to him: ‘Wicked one, is it Me that you have come to confront?
As you live, I will wage war against you.’ That is what is written: “The Lord will emerge like a warrior, He will arouse zealotry like a man of war” (Isaiah 42:13), and it is written: “The Lord will emerge and wage war against those nations” (Zechariah 14:3). What is written there? “The Lord will be King over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:9).