When God Says It Stands and the Wicked Say It Falls

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 5:12

"And between the waters that were above the firmament; and it was so" (Genesis 1:7). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the wicked: I created the world, concerning which is written "and it was so [vayehi ken]," yet you say "it is not so [lo ken]." I say "it is not so" and you say "so." By your lives! "Not so [lo ken] are the wicked, but they are like chaff; therefore the wicked shall not stand [literally: rise, yakumu] in judgment" (Psalms 1:4-5). And is that good for them [that they shall not rise]? Rather, it is like a person who says, "So-and-so stood up in court [lost his case]," where he had no rising of the foot [i.e., the loser has no standing, no leg to stand on].

Themes