To a fascinating passage from Vayikra Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Leviticus, that wrestles with this very issue.
The passage starts with a seemingly simple phrase from Leviticus: “If you sell a sale item" (Leviticus 25:14). Rabbi Ḥiyya son of Rabbi Ada of Yafo offers a striking interpretation. He reads the Hebrew word for "sell," timkeru, not as "if you sell," but as "when you are sold" (timakhru). According to this reading, the verse is a prophecy: “If you sell” – you are destined to be sold to the nations of the world.
Heavy stuff. So, what’s the solution? Despair? Assimilation? Absolutely not. The text continues: “…but you should be partners with your Creator, just as Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya were…”
Ah, now we're getting somewhere. You probably know them better as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the three Jewish men thrown into the fiery furnace in the Book of Daniel for refusing to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar's idol.
Their story becomes the paradigm for how to navigate this tension. They stood firm in their faith, declaring to Nebuchadnezzar, “We have no need to reply to you in this matter…Behold our God, whom we worship…He is able to save us…Behold, if not, let it be known to you, king, [that we will not worship your gods, and we will not prostrate ourselves to the golden image that you have erected]” (Daniel 3:16–18). Talk about chutzpah! They were willing to face death rather than compromise their principles.
But the story doesn't end there. The Rabbis in Vayikra Rabbah dissect the exchange between Nebuchadnezzar and the three men, revealing layers of meaning. Nebuchadnezzar, enraged, questions them: “Hatzeda, Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego, [you do not worship my gods, and you do not prostrate yourselves to the golden image that I have erected?]” (Daniel 3:14).
What does hatzeda mean? This is where it gets interesting. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana says it means "truth," connecting it to the Hebrew word tzedek. Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina offers a different interpretation: "emptiness" (tzadu). Is Nebuchadnezzar accusing them of trying to render his idol worship meaningless?
Then come a series of arguments and counter-arguments, attributed to various Rabbis like Rabbi Yoḥanan, Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, and Shmuel bar Naḥman. Each offers a different perspective on Nebuchadnezzar's accusations. Did the Jews secretly support idol worship back in their own land? Were they hypocrites? Did they benefit from idolatry?
Shmuel bar Naḥman even suggests that Nebuchadnezzar taunted them by asking: ‘Did Moses not write for you in the Torah: “You will serve gods [elohim] there, the handiwork of man”?’ (Deuteronomy 4:28). To which they cleverly replied that elohim in that context referred to earthly kings to whom they would pay taxes and tribute.
The Rabbis dissect every nuance of the dialogue, revealing the complex political and theological landscape of the time. Nebuchadnezzar demands obedience, citing Jeremiah's prophecy (Jeremiah 27:8) that nations who don't serve him will be punished. The three men, however, stand firm, essentially telling him that in matters of faith, he's no king to them – he's just Nebuchadnezzar, barking like a dog.
The text even gets a little…colorful. It says Nebuchadnezzar barks like a dog, inflates like a leather jug, and chirps like a cricket. Ouch!
Rabbi Levi concludes by emphasizing that loyalty to earthly rulers is secondary to loyalty to God. "I will keep the command of the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, the mouth that said to us at Sinai: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2).
The passage ends with a vision of the future, a reversal of fortunes. In this world, Israel is enslaved, but in the future, “Kings will be your caregivers, and their princesses, your wet nurses” (Isaiah 49:23). God will ultimately vindicate those who remain faithful.
So, what's the takeaway? This passage from Vayikra Rabbah, rooted in the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, reminds us that integrity comes at a price. It's not always easy to stand up for what you believe in, especially when facing powerful opposition. But ultimately, true freedom lies in remaining faithful to a higher calling, even when the world demands otherwise. It is a powerful message that continues to resonate today.
Another matter, “if you sell a sale item” – Rabbi Ḥiyya son of Rabbi Ada of Yafo said: “If you sell” – you are destined to be sold to the nations of the world,16He reads the expression “If you sell [timkeru]” as though it were vocalized differently, giving a meaning of “when you are sold [timakhru].” but you should be partners with your Creator, just as Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya were, who said to Nebuchadnezzar: “We have no need to reply to you in this matter…Behold our God, whom we worship…He is able to save us…Behold, if not, let it be known to you, king, [that we will not worship your gods, and we will not prostrate ourselves to the golden image that you have erected]” (Daniel 3:16–18). “Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them: Hatzeda, Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego, [you do not worship my gods, and you do not prostrate yourselves to the golden image that I have erected?]” (Daniel 3:14). What is hatzeda? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Truth.17As in Numbers 35:22, tzediya, which means intent or truth. Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: Emptiness [tzadu]. What, have you come to render my idol worship emptiness? The translation of “emptiness and disorder” (Genesis 1:2) is tzadeya. Rabbi Yoḥanan said two [statements], Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said two, Shmuel bar Naḥman said two, and the Rabbis said one. Rabbi Yoḥanan said two [statements]: He said to them:18Nebuchadnezzar said to Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya. ‘Does not the source of idol worship come from you? Is it not written: “And their idols from Jerusalem and Samaria” (Isaiah 10:10), and you have come here to render my idol worship emptiness?’ Rabbi Yoḥanan said another: He said to them: ‘When you were in your land you would send to us and acquire nails, hair, and bones of idol worship in order to carve them, to realize what is written: “Idols of the Chaldeans engraved with vermilion” (Ezekiel 23:14), and you come here to render my idol worship emptiness?’ Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said two [statements]: [Nebuchadnezzar] said to them: ‘When you were in your land, you would divide into sects for idol worship, just as it says: “You made your beauty an abomination and spread your legs for every passerby” (Ezekiel 16:25), and you come here to render my idol worship emptiness?’ Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said another. He said to them: ‘When you were in your land, you would gather in multitudes for idol worship.’ That is what is written: “The sound of a peaceful multitude was within it” (Ezekiel 23:42). “Muva’im” (Ezekiel 23:42) – from Canossa, “Sava’im” (Ezekiel 23:42) – exceedingly inebriated. “They put bracelets on their hands” (Ezekiel 23:42), Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Prostitutes, just as it says: “I said of one who is labala by adulteries” (Ezekiel 23:43). What is labala? Aquila translated: A worn-out prostitute. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Labala is nothing other than an expression of idol worship, just as it says: “I will reckon with Bel19This is the name of an idol. in Babylon” (Jeremiah 51:44). ‘And you come here to render my idol worship emptiness?’ Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said two [statements]: [Nebuchadnezzar] said to them: ‘Your idol worship was of silver and gold, just as it says: “Their silver and their gold they made into idols for themselves” (Hosea 8:4), but my idol worship is pure gold in its entirety.’ That is what is written: “King Nebuchadnezzar made an image [of gold]” (Daniel 3:1). ‘And you come here to render my idol worship emptiness?’ Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said another. [Nebuchadnezzar] said to them: ‘Did Moses not write for you in the Torah: “You will serve gods [elohim] there, the handiwork of man”?’ (Deuteronomy 4:28). They said: ‘My lord the king, it is not to prostrate ourselves, but rather, to pay tribute with land taxes, produce taxes, animal taxes, and head taxes,’ as Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: There they call kings elohim.20Nebuchadnezzar argued that they should serve his gods, in accordance with the verse in Deuteronomy. They responded that the verse means they will serve the kings of the lands where they are exiled, as the term elohim can refer to kings. “There” may refer to the land of Israel, or to Rome, which ruled the land of Israel at the time of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, or to Babylon. The Rabbis said one. [Nebuchadnezzar] said to them: ‘Did Jeremiah not write for you: “It will be the nation and the kingdom that will not serve Nebuchadnezzar [king of Babylon…with the sword and with famine and with pestilence I will reckon with that nation]”?’ (Jeremiah 27:8). He said to them: ‘Either you fulfill the beginning of this verse, or I will fulfill its end.’ Immediately, “Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego spoke, saying to King Nebuchadnezzar, [we have no need to reply to you in this matter]” (Daniel 3:16). If “king,” why “Nebuchadnezzar,” if “Nebuchadnezzar,” why “king”? Rather, regarding tribute with land taxes, produce taxes, animal taxes, and head taxes, you are king over us, but for this matter that you are saying to us, you are Nebuchadnezzar, and Nebuchadnezzar is your name. You and a dog are equivalent for us. Nebuchadnezzar barks [navaḥ] like a dog, inflates like a leather jug [kad], and chirps [natzar] like a cricket. Immediately, he barked like a dog, inflated like a leather jug, and chirped like a cricket, as it is stated: “I keep the king's command [and the word of an oath to God]” (Ecclesiastes 8:2). Rabbi Levi said: I will keep the command of the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, the mouth that said to us at Sinai: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2).21The implication is thus: I will keep the king’s command, but only if it does not contradict “the word of an oath to God,” i.e. any of God’s commandments. “And the word of an oath to God,” a reference to: “God spoke all these matters” (Exodus 20:1). “An oath to God,” a reference to: “You shall not take [the name of the Lord…in vain]” (Exodus 20:7), because in this world Israel is enslaved to the nations of the world, and in the future, what is written? “Kings will be your caregivers, and their princesses, your wet nurses” (Isaiah 49:23). For in this world the nations of the world torment Israel, but in the future, the Holy One blessed be He says: “I am destined to feed them from their own flesh and make them inebriated from their own blood, as from sweet wine” (Isaiah 49:26).22God will impose such a harsh famine on the wicked members of the nations of the world that they will eat their own flesh.
