The Banner of Testing and Daniel's Ten Days

"And these are the nations that the LORD left, to test Israel by them" (Judges 3:1). This is what is written: "You have given a banner to those who fear You, to be raised up" (Psalms 60:6) - a refuge, so that Israel may be saved from the judgment of Gehinnom. Why? "Because of truth, selah" (Psalms 60:6) - in order to give them their reward in truth, as it is said, "And I will give their recompense in truth" (Isaiah 61:8). But the wicked have no refuge, as it is said, "And the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and refuge shall perish from them" (Job 11:20). Come and see the difference between the earlier ones and the later ones: the earlier ones were tested by the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He - "And God tested Abraham" (Genesis 22:1); and so too the generation of the wilderness, "that I may test them" (Exodus 16:4), and "in order to test you" (Deuteronomy 8:16). But the later ones were tested by the hand of the nations, as it is said, "These are the nations that the LORD left to test Israel" - to know who does His will in truth, because of truth, selah. And so you find with Daniel and his companions: when they were exiled, the Holy One, blessed be He, had decreed and said, "So shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations" (Ezekiel 4:13). Nebuchadnezzar arose and fulfilled the matter; he began to say, "Let it be decreed that they eat of my provision," as it is said, "And the king appointed for them a daily portion" (Daniel 1:5). Daniel did not accept it upon himself. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: He seeks to test us, who are the children of the children of Abraham our father, who was tested with ten trials - perhaps his merit will stand for us. He began to say to the chief of the eunuchs, "Test, please, your servants ten days" (Daniel 1:12) - did the king not already find us tenfold, as it is said, "And he found them ten times better" (Daniel 1:20)?