It’s a question that’s been wrestled with for centuries, and the Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic teachings on the Book of Psalms, offers some truly fascinating, and at times unsettling, perspectives.
The core of this particular midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary), Midrash Tehillim 31, revolves around (Psalm 97:7), "All those who serve idols will be ashamed." But it doesn't stop there. The rabbis delve into the very nature of shame, justice, and the ultimate fate of those who chose other gods.
Rabbi Yudan, quoting Rav Nachman, suggests a startling scenario. In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will give "real significance" to idolatry, causing it to bow down in acknowledgment. And then, only after this moment of recognition, will it be ashamed of its former worshipers. What a concept! Imagine the idols themselves realizing their error, finally seeing the truth.
Rabbi Pinchas takes it a step further. He envisions the idols actually speaking to their devotees, declaring that they, the worshipers, sought eternal life from those who cannot speak, prioritizing the subsidiary over the primary. Ouch. It’s a powerful image of misplaced faith and ultimate disillusionment.
Rabbi Yochanan reminds us of the theophany at Sinai. Remember when God descended on Mount Sinai? He argues that this event gave strength to the gentiles as well, compelling them to bow down. Rabbi Tachlifa supports this with a verse: "All gods bow down to Him" (Psalm 97:7). The implication? This bowing down is not a future event, but a re-enactment of what happened at Sinai.
Then comes a more sobering perspective. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nechemia equate the shattering of idols with the shattering of their worshipers, referencing (Zechariah 14:12), which describes a horrific plague. The rabbis expand on this, suggesting the idolaters will be burned with light, mirroring the fate of the idols themselves. It's a harsh image, underscoring the consequences of misplaced devotion.
But the midrash doesn't dwell solely on punishment. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, Rabbi Shmuel, and Rabbi Nechemia paint a picture of a future judgment where God judges both Jews and Gentiles. Initially, the Jews are judged favorably, but the yetzer hara (the evil inclination) stirs up discord. The Gentiles demand a reversed judgment, leading to further shame when God ultimately obligates them. The point? Had they remained silent, their shame would have been less severe.
And what about those who call upon false gods? The midrash says they won’t be answered. They made the insignificant significant, and therefore, God will make the significant insignificant for them. If only they had turned to Him first, they would have received a response.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi offers a glimpse of redemption. He envisions God judging and purifying Israel, rewarding the righteous with crimson garments and entry into the Garden of Eden. Even the wicked will eventually find their place there, lest they think repentance would have been futile. Conversely, the righteous are briefly shown Gehenna, so they don't believe their righteousness excluded others from punishment. This is all to show that there is room for everyone. This emphasizes that God's justice is tempered with mercy.
The midrash concludes with a series of seemingly disparate teachings. Rav emphasizes the importance of not finding fault, lest one miss out on the goodness hidden for those who fear God. Rabbi Abdimi from Haifa speaks of 310 worlds prepared for each righteous person. Rabbi Yitzchak ben Tardion mentions God's sixteen-faced sword, perhaps a metaphor for the many facets of divine justice.
Rav Yudan, quoting Rabbi Eliezer bar Avina, states that God revealed the end to Jacob and Daniel, citing (Genesis 49:1) and (Daniel 12:9). Yet, even with this knowledge, the full revelation remains sealed. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana suggests that Israel's hiding of the Torah in this world will be mirrored by God's hiding of goodness for the righteous in the world to come.
The midrash ends with a fascinating linguistic note from Rabbi Yonatan: "There are three pleasing languages: the Roman language for war, the Greek language for conversation, and the Assyrian language for prayer. Beware of mixing them up." What does this have to do with the fate of idol worshipers? Perhaps it’s a reminder that even in the realm of language, there is a proper order and purpose, just as there is in the realm of faith.
So, what do we take away from all this? The Midrash Tehillim presents a complex and multifaceted view of divine justice, shame, and redemption. It challenges us to consider the consequences of our choices and the ultimate destination of our faith. It is also a reminder that even in the face of judgment, there is always the potential for mercy and a place for everyone in God's ultimate plan. And maybe, just maybe, even the idols themselves will find their way back to the truth.
Another thing that the verse (Psalms 97:7) said is, "All those who serve idols will be ashamed." Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rav Nachman, "In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will give real significance to idolatry that will come and bow down to the Holy One, blessed be He, and afterward, it will be ashamed of its worshippers." Rabbi Pinchas said, "In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will give speech to the gentiles, and it will speak before its worshippers in the future, saying to them, 'You have acquired eternal life and have bowed down to the one of whom it is said, "They have a mouth, but cannot speak." And you have made the subsidiary the primary.' Rabbi Yochanan said, 'Do not wonder, for when the Holy One, blessed be He, descended on Sinai, He gave strength to the gentiles, and they bowed down to Him.' Rabbi Tachlifa quoted a supporting verse (Psalms 97:7), 'All gods bow down to Him.' 'They shall bow down to Him' means only that they shall bow down to Him, as they already bowed down to Him on Sinai. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nechemia said, 'Just as the gentiles were shattered into pieces, so were its worshippers shattered into pieces,' as it is said (Zechariah 14:12), 'This shall be the plague.' And the rabbis say, 'Just as the gentiles were burned with light, so were its worshippers burned with light,' as it is said (Zechariah 14:12), 'And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that waged war against Jerusalem - their flesh shall rot away while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall rot in their sockets, and their tongues shall rot in their mouths.'" Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, Rabbi Shmuel, and Rabbi Nehemia say: When the Holy One, blessed be He, will sit in judgment of the Gentiles and the Jews in the future, He judges the Jews favorably, and the Gentiles are ashamed. And what does the evil inclination do? It tries to sow discord between them, and they say: We seek justice that will be reversed. What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He judges them and obligates them, and they are ashamed again. If they had remained silent, they would have been ashamed only once. Therefore, they will be doubly ashamed in the future. And in the future, when every nation of Gentiles calls upon their god, some calling to the moon and some to the sun, they will not be answered because they are not real gods, and they will be ashamed, as it is said: "Let all the worshippers of graven images be ashamed." Then they will come before the Holy One, blessed be He, and He will say to them: "You have made the insignificant significant, and I make the significant insignificant, and I do not answer you because you did not come to Me first. If only you had come to Me first, I would have answered you, as it is said: 'They cried out, but there was no savior; to the Lord, but He did not answer them.' These are their gods, but they did not call out to the Lord." This is the Holy One, blessed be He, who does not answer them. Therefore, twice they shall be ashamed. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will judge Israel and purify them, and give a crimson garment to the righteous to enter the Garden of Eden, and bring the wicked into Gehenna. Then He will take them out and bring them into the Garden of Eden, saying to them, "Behold, there is a place for the righteous and additional empty places." So that you will not say, "If we had repented, there would not have been any room for us in the Garden of Eden with the righteous." He will then take the righteous out of the Garden of Eden and bring them into Gehenna, saying to them, "Behold, there is a place for the wicked and additional empty places." So that you will not say, "If we were obligated, there would not have been any room for us in Gehenna." Rather, the wicked will inherit Gehenna for themselves and for you. As the verse says, "Instead of your shame you shall have double" (Isaiah 61:7). David said, "To whom does the shame belong? To the wicked," as it says, "Let the wicked be ashamed, let them be silent in the grave" (Psalm 31:18). Rav said, "Anyone who finds fault in it will not see the good in it," as it says, "How great is your goodness, which you have hidden away for those who fear you" (Psalm 31:20). Rabbi Abdimi from Haifa said that the Holy One, blessed be He, will make 310 worlds for every righteous person. As it says, "To grant an inheritance to those who love me" (Proverbs 8:21). The letters of "those who love me" (yesh b'gematriya) add up to 310. Rabbi Yitzchak ben Tardion said that the sword of the Holy One, blessed be He, has sixteen faces. As it says, "Join them one to another into one stick, and they shall become one in your hand" (Ezekiel 37:17). Just as the measure of punishment is minimal, so the measure of good is much greater. Rav Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer bar Avina that the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed the end to Jacob and to Daniel. To Jacob, as it says, "And Jacob called to his sons" (Genesis 49:1), and to Daniel, as it says, "And he said, 'Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end'" (Daniel 12:9). "And when it comes to revealing the end, what does it say? 'But you, Daniel, seal up the words and seal the book.' Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, 'You have hidden the Torah and the commandments from Me in this world, and I will hide for you the same goodness that is prepared for the righteous in the future world,' as it says, 'How abundant is Your goodness that You have hidden away for those who fear You.' Rabbi Yudan said that the Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'You do according to your ability, and I will do according to My ability.' Rabbi Yonatan said, 'There are three pleasing languages: the Roman language for war, the Greek language for conversation, and the Assyrian language for prayer. Beware of mixing them up.' "
