Sanhedrin 94
אִינְהוּ עֲדִיפִי מִינֵּיהּ, וְאִיהוּ עֲדִיף מִנַּיְיהוּ. אִינְהוּ עֲדִיפִי מִינֵּיהּ – דְּאִינְהוּ נְבִיאֵי, וְאִיהוּ לָאו נְבִיָּא. וְאִיהוּ עֲדִיף מִנַּיְיהוּ – דְּאִיהוּ חֲזָא, וְאִינְהוּ לָא חֲזוֹ.
Apropos Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, the Gemara notes: In certain respects, the latter three were greater than Daniel, and in certain respects, Daniel was greater than the latter three. They were greater than he, as they were prophets and he was not a prophet. Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi were designated to transmit their visions of God to the Jewish people, but Daniel was not designated to share his visions with others. And he was greater than they, as he saw this vision, and they did not see this vision.
וְכִי מֵאַחַר דְּלָא חֲזוֹ, מַאי טַעְמָא אִיבְּעוּת? אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינְהוּ לָא חֲזוֹ מִידֵּי, מַזָּלַיְיהוּ חָזֵי. אָמַר רָבִינָא: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ הַאי מַאן דְּמִבְּעִית, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ לָא חָזֵי, מַזָּלֵיהּ חָזֵי.
The Gemara asks: And since they did not see the vision, what is the reason that they were frightened? The Gemara answers: Although they did not see the vision, their guardian angels saw it, and they were overcome with fear and fled. Ravina said: Conclude from it that in the case of this person who becomes frightened with no apparent cause, although he does not see what causes his fear, his guardian angel sees it.
מַאי תַּקַּנְתֵּיהּ? לִינְשׁוֹף מִדּוּכְתֵּיהּ אַרְבְּעָה גַּרְמִידֵי. אִי נָמֵי, לִיקְרֵי קְרִיַּת שְׁמַע. וְאִי קָאֵי בִּמְקוֹם הַטִּנּוֹפֶת, לֵימָא הָכִי: ״עִיזָּא דְּבֵי טַבָּחָא שַׁמִּינָא מִינַּאי״.
What is his remedy? Let him leap four cubits from his current location to distance himself from the perceived danger. Alternatively, let him recite Shema, which will afford him protection. And if he is standing in a place of filth, where it is prohibited to recite verses from the Torah, let him say this formula: The goat of the slaughterhouse is fatter than I, and let the demon harm the goat instead.
״לְםַרְבֵּה הַמִּשְׂרָה וּלְשָׁלוֹם אֵין קֵץ וְגוֹ׳״. אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם: דָּרַשׁ בַּר קַפָּרָא בְּצִיפּוֹרִי, מִפְּנֵי מָה כׇּל מֵם שֶׁבְּאֶמְצַע תֵּיבָה פָּתוּחַ, וְזֶה סָתוּם? בִּיקֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת חִזְקִיָּהוּ מָשִׁיחַ, וְסַנְחֵרִיב גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג.
§ Apropos Hezekiah, the Gemara cites that which is stated: “That the government may be increased [lemarbe] and of peace there be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it and uphold it through justice and through righteousness, from now and forever; the zeal of the Lord of hosts does perform this” (Isaiah 9:6). Rabbi Tanḥum says that bar Kappara taught in Tzippori: Due to what reason is it that every letter mem in the middle of a word is open and this mem, of the word lemarbe, is closed? In the Masoretic text, the letter mem in the word “lemarbe” is written in the form of a mem that appears at the end of a word, closed on all four sides. This is because the Holy One, Blessed be He, sought to designate King Hezekiah as the Messiah and to designate Sennacherib and Assyria, respectively, as Gog and Magog, all from the prophecy of Ezekiel with regard to the end of days (Ezekiel, chapter 38), and the confrontation between them would culminate in the final redemption.
אָמְרָה מִדַּת הַדִּין לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, וּמָה דָּוִד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאָמַר כַּמָּה שִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת לְפָנֶיךָ – לֹא עֲשִׂיתוֹ מָשִׁיחַ, חִזְקִיָּה שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ לוֹ כׇּל הַנִּסִּים הַלָּלוּ וְלֹא אָמַר שִׁירָה לְפָנֶיךָ – תַּעֲשֵׂהוּ מָשִׁיחַ? לְכָךְ נִסְתַּתֵּם.
The attribute of justice said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, and if with regard to David, king of Israel, who recited several songs and praises before You, You did not designate him as the Messiah, then with regard to Hezekiah, for whom You performed all these miracles, delivering him from Sennacherib and healing his illness, and he did not recite praise before You, will You designate him as the Messiah? It is for that reason that the mem was closed, because there was an opportunity for redemption that was thwarted.
מִיָּד פָּתְחָה הָאָרֶץ וְאָמְרָה לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲנִי אוֹמֶרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ שִׁירָה תַּחַת צַדִּיק זֶה, וַעֲשֵׂהוּ מָשִׁיחַ. פָּתְחָה וְאָמְרָה שִׁירָה לְפָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִכְּנַף הָאָרֶץ זְמִרֹת שָׁמַעְנוּ צְבִי לַצַּדִּיק וְגוֹ׳״.
Immediately, the earth began and stated before Him: Master of the Universe, I will recite song before You in place of that righteous person, i.e., Hezekiah, and designate him as the Messiah. The earth began and recited a song before Him, as it is stated: “From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs: Glory to the righteous. But I said, my secret is mine, my secret is mine, woe unto me. The treacherous deal treacherously; the treacherous deal very treacherously” (Isaiah 24:16).
אָמַר שַׂר הָעוֹלָם לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, צִבְיוֹנוֹ עֲשֵׂה לַצַּדִּיק זֶה! יָצְאָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: רָזִי לִי, רָזִי לִי. אָמַר נָבִיא: אוֹי לִי, אוֹי לִי, עַד מָתַי? יָצְאָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: ״בֹּגְדִים בָּגָדוּ וּבֶגֶד בּוֹגְדִים בָּגָדוּ״. וְאָמַר רָבָא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי יִצְחָק: עַד דְּאָתוּ בָּזוֹזֵי וּבָזוֹזֵי דְּבָזוֹזֵי.
The angel appointed to oversee the world said before Him: Master of the Universe, perform the will of this righteous person. A Divine Voice emerged and said: “My secret is Mine, My secret is Mine”; this matter will remain secret, as I am not yet bringing the redemption. The prophet said: “Woe unto me,” woe unto me; until when will the exile continue? A Divine Voice emerged and said: “The treacherous deal treacherously; the treacherous deal very treacherously” (Isaiah 24:16). And Rava, and some say Rabbi Yitzḥak, says: Until looters and looters of looters come, the Messiah will not come.
״מַשָּׂא דּוּמָה אֵלַי קֹרֵא מִשֵּׂעִיר שֹׁמֵר מַה מִּלַּיְלָה שֹׁמֵר מַה מִּלֵּיל וְגוֹ׳״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אוֹתוֹ מַלְאָךְ הַמְמוּנֶּה עַל הָרוּחוֹת דּוּמָה שְׁמוֹ. נִתְקַבְּצוּ כׇּל הָרוּחוֹת אֵצֶל דּוּמָה, אָמְרוּ לוֹ: ״שֹׁמֵר, מַה מִּלַּיְלָה? שֹׁמֵר, מַה מִּלֵּיל?״ ״אָמַר שֹׁמֵר אָתָא בֹקֶר וְגַם לָיְלָה אִם תִּבְעָיוּן בְּעָיוּ שֻׁבוּ אֵתָיוּ״.
On a similar note, Isaiah said: “The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir: Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The Watchman said: The morning comes and also the night; if you will inquire, inquire; return, come” (Isaiah 21:11–12). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: That angel, who is appointed over the spirits [seirim], his name is Dumah. All the spirits assembled near Dumah and said to him: “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? Does God, Guardian of Israel, say that the time for redemption has arrived?” The angel answered: “The Watchman said: The morning comes and also the night; if you will inquire, inquire; return, come.” The Holy One, Blessed be He, said that the morning of redemption has come as well as the night of the exile. If you inquire and seek repentance, inquire and repent, and return to God and redemption will come.
תָּנָא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי פַּפְּיָיס: גְּנַאי הוּא לְחִזְקִיָּה וְסִייעָתוֹ שֶׁלֹּא אָמְרוּ שִׁירָה, עַד שֶׁפָּתְחָה הָאָרֶץ וְאָמְרָה שִׁירָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִכְּנַף הָאָרֶץ זְמִרֹת שָׁמַעְנוּ צְבִי לַצַּדִּיק וְגוֹ׳״. כַּיּוֹצֵא בַּדָּבָר אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר יִתְרוֹ בָּרוּךְ ה׳ אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם״. תָּנָא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי פַּפְּיָיס: גְּנַאי הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה וְשִׁשִּׁים רִיבּוֹא שֶׁלֹּא אָמְרוּ ״בָּרוּךְ״ עַד שֶׁבָּא יִתְרוֹ וְאָמַר ״בָּרוּךְ ה׳״.
It was taught in the name of Rabbi Pappeyas: It is a disgrace for Hezekiah and his associates that they did not recite a song themselves and that a song was not recited until the earth began and recited a song, as it is stated: “From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs: Glory to the righteous” (Isaiah 24:16). On a similar note, you say: “And Jethro said: Blessed be the Lord, Who has delivered you out of the hand of Egypt and out of the hand of Pharaoh” (Exodus 18:10). It was taught in the name of Rabbi Pappeyas: It is a disgrace for Moses and the six hundred thousand adult men of the children of Israel whom he led out of Egypt that they did not say: Blessed, until Yitro came and said: “Blessed be the Lord.”
״וַיִּחַדְּ יִתְרוֹ״ – רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל. רַב אָמַר: שֶׁהֶעֱבִיר חֶרֶב חַדָּה עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ, וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר: שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה חִדּוּדִים חִדּוּדִים כׇּל בְּשָׂרוֹ. אָמַר רַב: הַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי, גִּיּוֹרָא עַד עַשְׂרָה דָּרֵי לָא תִּבְזֵה אַרְמַאי קַמֵּיהּ.
It is written in the previous verse: “Vayyiḥad Yitro for all the goodness that the Lord had done to Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of Egypt” (Exodus 18:9). Rav and Shmuel disagreed with regard to the meaning of vayyiḥad. Rav says: He passed a sharp [ḥad] sword over his flesh, i.e., he circumcised himself and converted. And Shmuel says: He felt as though cuts [ḥiddudim] were made over his flesh, i.e., he had an unpleasant feeling due to the downfall of Egypt. Rav says with regard to this statement of Shmuel that this is in accordance with the adage that people say: With regard to a convert, for ten generations after his conversion one should not disparage a gentile before him and his descendants, as they continue to identify somewhat with gentiles and remain sensitive to their pain.
״לָכֵן יְשַׁלַּח הָאָדוֹן ה׳ צְבָאוֹת בְּמִשְׁמַנָּיו רָזוֹן״. מַאי ״בְּמִשְׁמַנָּיו רָזוֹן״? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: יָבֹא חִזְקִיָּהוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שְׁמוֹנָה שֵׁמוֹת, וְיִפָּרַע מִסַּנְחֵרִיב שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שְׁמוֹנָה שֵׁמוֹת. חִזְקִיָּה, דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי יֶלֶד יֻלַּד לָנוּ בֵּן נִתַּן לָנוּ וַתְּהִי הַמִּשְׂרָה עַל שִׁכְמוֹ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ פֶּלֶא יוֹעֵץ אֵל גִּבּוֹר אֲבִי עַד שַׂר שָׁלוֹם״. וְהָאִיכָּא ״חִזְקִיָּה״? שֶׁחִזְּקוֹ יָהּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר: ״חִזְקִיָּה״ – שֶׁחִיזֵּק אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם.
§ The verse states: “Therefore shall the Master, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones [mishmanav] leanness” (Isaiah 10:16). What is the meaning of the phrase “send among his fat ones leanness”? The meaning is that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Let Hezekiah, who has eight [shemona] names, come, and exact retribution from Sennacherib, who has eight names. The Gemara elaborates: The eight names of Hezekiah are as it is written: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name is called Pele Joez El Gibbor Abi Ad Sar Shalom” (Isaiah 9:5). The Gemara asks: But isn’t there an additional name, Hezekiah? The Gemara explains: That was not a given name; rather, it is an appellation based on the fact that God strengthened him [ḥizzeko]. Alternatively, he was called Hezekiah due to the fact that he strengthened the devotion of the Jewish people to their Father in Heaven.
סַנְחֵרִיב, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: תִּגְלַת פִּלְאֶסֶר, פִּלְנְאֶסֶר, שַׁלְמַנְאֶסֶר, פּוֹל, סַרְגוֹן, אׇסְנַפַּר רַבָּא וְיַקִּירָא. וְהָאִיכָּא ״סַנְחֵרִיב״? שֶׁסִּיחָתוֹ רִיב. דָּבָר אַחֵר: שֶׁסָּח וְנִיחֵר דְּבָרִים כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה.
The eight names of Sennacherib are as it is written in his regard among the kings of Assyria: “Tiglath-Pileser” (II Kings 15:29), “Tiglath-Pilneser” (II Chronicles 28:20), “Shalmaneser” (II Kings 17:3), “Pul” (II Kings 15:19), “Sargon” (Isaiah 20:1), and “the great and noble Asenappar” (Ezra 4:10). And the Gemara asks: But isn’t there an additional name, Sennacherib [Sanḥeriv]? The Gemara explains: That was not a given name; rather, it is an appellation based on the fact that his speech is contentious [siḥato riv], leading to quarrel and shame. Alternatively, he was called Sanḥeriv due to the fact that he spoke [saḥ] and snorted out [niḥer] contemptuous statements vis-à-vis the Transcendent.
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מִפְּנֵי מָה זָכָה אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע לִקְרוֹתוֹ ״אׇסְנַפַּר רַבָּא וְיַקִּירָא״? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא סִיפֵּר בִּגְנוּתָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַד בֹּאִי וְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אֶל אֶרֶץ כְּאַרְצְכֶם״.
Rabbi Yoḥanan says: For what reason was that wicked person privileged to be named “the great and noble Asenappar”? It was due to the fact that he did not speak [sipper] in disparagement of Eretz Yisrael, as it is stated: “Until I come and take you to a land like your own” (II Kings 18:32), and he did not say that he was taking them to a superior land.
רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל: חַד אָמַר מֶלֶךְ פִּקֵּחַ הָיָה, וְחַד אָמַר מֶלֶךְ טִיפֵּשׁ הָיָה. לְמַאן דְּאָמַר מֶלֶךְ פִּקֵּחַ הָיָה – אִי אָמֵינָא לְהוּ ״עֲדִיפָא מֵאַרְעַיְיכוּ״, אָמְרוּ ״קָא מְשַׁקְּרַתְּ״. וּמַאן דְּאָמַר מֶלֶךְ טִיפֵּשׁ הָיָה – אִם כֵּן, מַאי רְבוּתֵיהּ?
Rav and Shmuel disagreed with regard to that statement of Sennacherib: One says he was a clever king and one says he was a foolish king. According to the one who says he was a clever king, he said that he is taking them to a land like their own, as he thought: If I say to them: I am taking you to a land that is superior to your land, they will say: You are lying. And as for the one who says he was a foolish king, he explains: If so, if he said that he is not taking them to a superior land, what is his greatness and how would they be convinced to go into exile?
לְהֵיכָא אַגְּלִי לְהוּ? מָר זוּטְרָא אָמַר: לְאַפְרִיקִי, וְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר: לְהָרֵי סְלוּג. אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל סִפְּרוּ בִּגְנוּתָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. כִּי מְטוֹ שׂוֹשׂ, אָמְרִי: שָׁוְיָא כִּי אַרְעִין. כִּי מְטוֹ עָלְמִין, אֲמַרוּ: כְּעָלְמִין. כִּי מְטוֹ שׂוֹשׂ תְּרֵי, אָמְרִי: עַל חַד תְּרֵין.
The Gemara asks: To where did Sennacherib exile the ten tribes? Mar Zutra says: He exiled them to Afrikei, and Rabbi Ḥanina says: To the Selug Mountains. The Gemara adds: But those exiled from the kingdom of Israel spoke in disparagement of Eretz Yisrael and extolled the land of their exile. When they arrived at one place, they called it Shosh, as they said: It is equal [shaveh] to our land. When they arrived at another place, they called it Almin, as they said: It is like our world [almin], as Eretz Yisrael is also called beit olamim. When they arrived at a third place they called it Shosh the second [terei], as they said: For one measure of good in Eretz Yisrael, there are two [terein] here.
״וְתַחַת כְּבֹדוֹ [יֵקַד] יְקֹד כִּיקוֹד אֵשׁ״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: תַּחַת כְּבוֹדוֹ, וְלֹא כְּבוֹדוֹ מַמָּשׁ. כִּי הָא דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן קָרֵי לֵיהּ לְמָאנֵיהּ ״מְכַבְּדוֹתַי״. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר: תַּחַת כְּבוֹדוֹ מַמָּשׁ, כִּשְׂרֵיפַת בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן. מָה לְהַלָּן שְׂרֵיפַת נְשָׁמָה וְגוּף קַיָּים, אַף כָּאן שְׂרֵיפַת נְשָׁמָה וְגוּף קַיָּים.
The Gemara cites additional verses written with regard to Sennacherib. “And beneath his glory shall be kindled a blaze like the blaze of a fire” (Isaiah 10:16). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: A blaze was kindled beneath his glory, but it was not actually kindled on his glory. The blaze consumed the bodies of the troops of Sennacherib beneath their garments, which were referred to as glory, as in that practice of Rabbi Yoḥanan, who would call his garments: My glory. Rabbi Elazar says: It means beneath his actual glory, i.e., the blaze consumed their souls, and their flesh was not consumed, like the burning of the sons of Aaron. Just as there, the death of the sons of Aaron entailed the burning of the soul, and the body remained intact, so too here, the death of the troops of Sennacherib entailed the burning of the soul, and the body remained intact.
תָּנָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה: פַּרְעֹה שֶׁחֵירַף בְּעַצְמוֹ, נִפְרַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ בְּעַצְמוֹ. סַנְחֵרִיב שֶׁחֵירַף
It was taught in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa: With regard to Pharaoh, who himself blasphemed God, the Holy One, Blessed be He, Himself exacted retribution from him. With regard to Sennacherib, who blasphemed God
עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ, נִפְרַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ.
by means of an agent, the Holy One, Blessed be He, exacted retribution from him by means of an agent.
פַּרְעֹה, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: ״מִי ה׳ אֲשֶׁר אֶשְׁמַע בְּקֹלוֹ״, נִפְרַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ בְּעַצְמוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיְנַעֵר ה׳ אֶת מִצְרַיִם בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם״, וּכְתִיב: ״דָּרַכְתָּ בַּיָּם סוּסֶיךָ וְגוֹ׳״. סַנְחֵרִיב, דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּיַד מַלְאָכֶיךָ חֵרַפְתָּ ה׳״, נִפְרַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ עַל יְדֵי שָׁלִיחַ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֵּצֵא מַלְאַךְ ה׳ וַיַּךְ בְּמַחֲנֵה אַשּׁוּר מֵאָה שְׁמוֹנִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף וְגוֹ׳״.
Pharaoh blasphemed God, as it is written that he said to Moses and Aaron: “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?” (Exodus 5:2) The Holy One, Blessed be He, Himself exacted retribution from him, as it is written: “And the Lord overthrew Egypt in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:27), and it is written: “You have trodden through the sea with Your horses” (Habakkuk 3:15). Sennacherib blasphemed God by means of an agent, as it is written: “By your messengers you have taunted the Lord” (II Kings 19:23). The Holy One, Blessed be He, exacted retribution from him by means of an agent, as it is written: “Then the angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand” (II Kings 19:35).
רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא רָמֵי: כְּתִיב ״מְרוֹם קִצּוֹ״, וּכְתִיב ״מְלוֹן קִצּוֹ״. אָמַר אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע: בַּתְּחִלָּה אַחְרִיב דִּירָה שֶׁל מַטָּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אַחְרִיב דִּירָה שֶׁל מַעְלָה.
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa raises a contradiction. It is written that Sennacherib said: “And I will enter into its farthest height” (Isaiah 37:24), and it is written in a parallel verse that he said: “And I have entered into its farthest lodge” (II Kings 19:23). The Gemara resolves the contradiction. That wicked person said: Initially, I will destroy the earthly dwelling place below, i.e., the Temple, its farthest lodge, and thereafter, I will destroy the heavenly dwelling place above, its farthest height.
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״עַתָּה הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵי ה׳ עָלִיתִי עַל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה לְהַשְׁחִתוֹ ה׳ אָמַר אֵלַי עֲלֵה עַל הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וְהַשְׁחִיתָהּ״. מַאי הִיא? דִּשְׁמַע לִנְבִיָּא דְּקָאָמַר: ״יַעַן כִּי מָאַס הָעָם הַזֶּה אֵת מֵי הַשִּׁלֹחַ הַהוֹלְכִים לְאַט וּמְשׂוֹשׂ אֶת רְצִין וּבֶן רְמַלְיָהוּ״.
§ Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: What is the meaning of that which is written in the statement of Rab-shakeh, emissary of Sennacherib: “Have I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me: Go up against this land and destroy it” (II Kings 18:25). What is this command to destroy the land? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi explains: It is referring to the fact that he heard the prophet who said: “Since the people rejected the waters of Shiloah that flow slowly and rejoice with Rezin and the son of Remaliah. Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings upon them…the king of Assyria” (Isaiah 8:6–7).
אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: אִלְמָלֵא תַּרְגּוּמָא דְּהַאי קְרָא, לָא הֲוָה יָדַעְנָא מַאי קָאָמַר. ״חֲלַף דְּקָץ עַמָּא הָדֵין בְּמַלְכוּתָא דְּבֵית דָּוִד, דִּמְדַבַּר לְהוֹן בִּנְיָיח, כְּמֵי שִׁילוֹחָא דְּנָגְדִין בִּנְיָיח, וְאִיתְרְעִיאוּ בִּרְצִין וּבַר רְמַלְיָה״.
Rav Yosef says: Were it not for the Aramaic translation of this verse I would not know what it is saying. It is translated: Since this people loathed the reign of the house of David that led them gently, like the waters of the Shiloah, which flow gently, and they preferred Rezin and the son of Remaliah, who were kings from the northern kingdom of Israel. And the verse continues: “Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings upon them…the king of Assyria.”
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״מְאֵרַת ה׳ בְּבֵית רָשָׁע וּנְוֵה צַדִּיקִים יְבָרֵךְ״? ״מְאֵרַת ה׳ בְּבֵית רָשָׁע״ – זֶה פֶּקַח בֶּן רְמַלְיָהוּ, שֶׁהָיָה אוֹכֵל אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה גּוֹזָלוֹת בְּקִינּוּחַ סְעוּדָה. ״וּנְוֵה צַדִּיקִים יְבָרֵךְ״ – זֶה חִזְקִיָּה מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, שֶׁהָיָה אוֹכֵל לִיטְרָא יָרָק בִּסְעוּדָה.
Rabbi Yoḥanan says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked, but He blesses the habitation of the just” (Proverbs 3:33)? “The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked”; this is a reference to Pekah, son of Remaliah, who would eat forty se’a of fledglings for dessert and would still not be satiated, as his property was cursed. “But He blesses the habitation of the just”; this is a reference to Hezekiah, king of Judea, who would eat a litra of vegetables at his meal and was satiated, as his property was blessed.
״וְלָכֵן הִנֵּה ה׳ מַעֲלֶה עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת מֵי הַנָּהָר הָעֲצוּמִים וְהָרַבִּים אֶת מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר״, וּכְתִיב: ״וְחָלַף בִּיהוּדָה שָׁטַף וְעָבַר עַד צַוָּאר יַגִּיעַ״.
It is written in the verse: “Now therefore, behold, the Lord brings up upon them the strong and abundant waters of the river, the king of Assyria” (Isaiah 8:7). And it is written: “And he shall sweep through Judea; he shall inundate and pass through, reaching even the neck” (Isaiah 8:8). Rab-shakeh alluded to that prophecy when he said in the verse in Kings that the Lord said to destroy the land.
אֶלָּא מַאי טַעְמָא אִיעֲנִישׁ? נְבִיָּא אַעֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים אִיתְנַבִּי, אִיהוּ יְהַיב דַּעְתֵּיהּ עַל כּוּלַּהּ יְרוּשָׁלֶם. בָּא נָבִיא וְאָמַר לוֹ: ״כִּי לֹא מוּעָף לַאֲשֶׁר מוּצָק לָהּ״. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר בֶּרֶכְיָה: אֵין נִמְסָר עַם עָיֵיף בַּתּוֹרָה בְּיַד מִי הַמֵּצִיק לוֹ.
The Gemara asks: But what is the reason that Sennacherib was punished if he was merely fulfilling God’s command? The Gemara answers: The prophet prophesied about the destruction of the kingdom of Israel and the exile of the ten tribes, but he directed his attention to destroy all of Jerusalem. The prophet came and said to him: “For there is no weariness [mu’af ] that is set [mutzak] against her” (Isaiah 8:23). Rabbi Elazar bar Berekhya says that the verse is interpreted homiletically: A nation that is weary [ayef ] from its constant engagement in Torah study is not delivered into the hands of one who oppresses [metzik] it.
מַאי ״כָּעֵת הָרִאשׁוֹן הֵקַל אַרְצָה זְבוּלֻן וְאַרְצָה נַפְתָּלִי וְהָאַחֲרוֹן הִכְבִּיד דֶּרֶךְ הַיָּם עֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן גְּלִיל הַגּוֹיִם״? לֹא כָּרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁהֵקֵלּוּ מֵעֲלֵיהֶם עוֹל תּוֹרָה, אֲבָל אַחֲרוֹנִים שֶׁהִכְבִּידוּ עֲלֵיהֶן עוֹל תּוֹרָה. וּרְאוּיִין הַלָּלוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם נֵס כְּעוֹבְרֵי הַיָּם וּכְדוֹרְכֵי הַיַּרְדֵּן. אִם חוֹזֵר בּוֹ – מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו – אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה לוֹ גָּלִיל בַּגּוֹיִם.
What is the meaning of the continuation of the verse, which states: “Now the former has lightly afflicted [hakel] the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali but the latter has dealt a more grievous blow [hikhbid] by way of the sea, beyond the Jordan in the district [gelil] of the nations”? The generation in Judea in the time of Hezekiah is not like the former generation of Ahaz, who eased [hekellu] the yoke of Torah from upon the people. But the latter generation of Hezekiah, who intensified [hikhbidu] the yoke of Torah upon the people, is fit for God to perform a miracle for them like the miracles performed for those who crossed the Red Sea and those who trod through the Jordan River. God is saying: If Sennacherib reconsiders his planned conquest, good, but if he does not, I will render him wallowing [galil] in shame among the nations.
״אַחֲרֵי הַדְּבָרִים וְהָאֱמֶת הָאֵלֶּה בָּא סַנְחֵרִיב מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וַיָּבֹא בִיהוּדָה וַיִּחַן עַל הֶעָרִים הַבְּצֻרוֹת וַיֹּאמֶר לְבִקְעָם אֵלָיו״. הַאי רִישָׁנָא לְהַאי פַּרְדָּשְׁנָא?
The verse states: “After these matters and this truth, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came and entered Judea and encamped against the fortified cities and sought to breach them for himself” (II Chronicles 32:1). The Gemara asks: Is this gift [rishna], the invasion of Sennacherib, appropriate compensation for that gift [pardashna], Hezekiah’s restoration of the Temple and the worship of God in Judea?
״אַחֲרֵי הַדְּבָרִים וְהָאֱמֶת״, אַחַר מַאי? אָמַר רָבִינָא: לְאַחַר שֶׁקָּפַץ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְנִשְׁבַּע, וְאָמַר: אִי אָמֵינָא לֵיהּ לְחִזְקִיָּה מַיְיתֵינָא לֵיהּ לְסַנְחֵרִיב וּמָסַרְנָא לֵיהּ בִּידָךְ, הַשְׁתָּא אָמַר: לָא הוּא בָּעֵינָא וְלָא בִּיעֲתוּתֵיהּ בָּעֵינָא.
The Gemara explains: When the verse states: “After these matters and this truth [emet],” after what matters is the verse referring to? Ravina says: This is referring to after the Holy One, Blessed be He, preempted and took an oath, referenced with the term emet, that He will deliver the spoils of the army of the king of Assyria into the hands of Hezekiah. And this was because He had said: If I say to Hezekiah: I will bring Sennacherib and I will deliver him into your hands; he will then say: I neither want him delivered into my hands nor do I want the accompanying fear of him.
מִיָּד קָפַץ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְנִשְׁבַּע: דְּמַיְיתֵינָא לֵיהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נִשְׁבַּע ה׳ צְבָאוֹת לֵאמֹר אִם לֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּמִּיתִי כֵּן הָיָתָה וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָעַצְתִּי הִיא תָקוּם. לִשְׁבֹּר אַשּׁוּר בְּאַרְצִי וְעַל הָרַי אֲבוּסֶנּוּ וְסָר מֵעֲלֵיהֶם עֻלּוֹ וְסֻבֳּלוֹ מֵעַל שִׁכְמוֹ יָסוּר״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: יָבֹא סַנְחֵרִיב וְסִיעָתוֹ וְיֵעָשֶׂה אֵבוּס לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ וּלְסִיעָתוֹ.
Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He, preempted Hezekiah and took an oath: I take an oath that I will deliver him, as it is stated: “The Lord of hosts has taken an oath, saying: Is it not as I imagined it, so has it come to pass; and as I have proposed, so shall it arise, that I will break Assyria in My land, and upon My mountains subdue him [avusennu]; then shall his yoke depart from them, and his burden depart from its shoulder” (Isaiah 14:24–25). Rabbi Yoḥanan says that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Sennacherib and his entourage shall come and be transformed into a feeding trough [evus], in the sense of a source of sustenance for Hezekiah and his entourage.
״וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יָסוּר סֻבֳּלוֹ מֵעַל שִׁכְמֶךָ וְעֻלּוֹ מֵעַל צַוָּארֶךָ וְחֻבַּל עֹל מִפְּנֵי שָׁמֶן״. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק נַפָּחָא: חוּבַּל עוֹל שֶׁל סַנְחֵרִיב מִפְּנֵי שַׁמְנוֹ שֶׁל חִזְקִיָּהוּ, שֶׁהָיָה דּוֹלֵק בְּבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת.
§ It is stated with regard to the downfall of Assyria: “And it shall come to pass on that day, his burden shall be taken from on your shoulder, and his yoke from on your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed due to fatness [shamen]” (Isaiah 10:27). Rabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa says: The yoke of Sennacherib was destroyed due to the oil [shemen] of Hezekiah that would burn in the synagogues and study halls when the Jewish people were engaged in Torah study at night.
מָה עָשָׂה? נָעַץ חֶרֶב עַל פֶּתַח בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, וְאָמַר: כׇּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה יִדָּקֵר בְּחֶרֶב זוֹ. בָּדְקוּ מִדָּן וְעַד בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, וְלֹא מָצְאוּ עַם הָאָרֶץ. מִגְּבָת וְעַד אַנְטִיפְרַס, וְלֹא מָצְאוּ תִּינוֹק וְתִינוֹקֶת, אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה, שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ בְּקִיאִין בְּהִלְכוֹת טוּמְאָה וְטׇהֳרָה.
What did Hezekiah do to ensure Torah study? He inserted a sword at the entrance of the study hall and said: Anyone who does not engage in Torah study shall be stabbed with this sword. As a result, they searched from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, and did not find an ignoramus. They searched from Gevat to Antipatris and did not find a male child, or a female child, or a man, or a woman who was not expert even in the complex halakhot of ritual purity and impurity.
וְעַל אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יְחַיֶּה אִישׁ עֶגְלַת בָּקָר וּשְׁתֵּי צֹאן וְגוֹ׳״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה כׇל מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה שָּׁם אֶלֶף גֶּפֶן בְּאֶלֶף כָּסֶף לַשָּׁמִיר וְלַשַּׁיִת יִהְיֶה״. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֶלֶף גֶּפֶן בְּאֶלֶף כָּסֶף, לַשָּׁמִיר וְלַשַּׁיִת יִהְיֶה.
And it is about that generation that the prophet says: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young calf and two sheep. And it shall come to pass, from the abundance of milk that they produce, he shall eat butter, for butter and honey shall everyone eat, everyone who remains in the midst of the land” (Isaiah 7:21–22). And the prophet continues and says: “And it shall come to pass in that day that every place where there were one thousand vines for one thousand silver coins, it shall be for briars and thorns” (Isaiah 7:23). Although one thousand vines are worth one thousand silver coins and one could earn substantial profits through agricultural labor, the fields will grow briars and thorns due to neglect. The people of that generation were devoted to the study of Torah and engaged in labor only minimally to sustain themselves.
״וְאֻסַּף שְׁלַלְכֶם אֹסֶף הֶחָסִיל״. אָמַר לָהֶם נָבִיא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: אִסְפוּ שְׁלַלְכֶם. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: לִבְזוֹז אוֹ לַחְלוֹק? אָמַר לָהֶם: ״כְּאֹסֶף הֶחָסִיל״. מָה אֹסֶף הֶחָסִיל – כׇּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְעַצְמוֹ. אַף שְׁלַלְכֶם – כׇּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְעַצְמוֹ.
It is written: “And your spoils shall be gathered like the gathering of the locusts; as the advance of the locusts shall he advance” (Isaiah 33:4). The prophet said to the Jewish people: Gather your spoils from the army of Sennacherib. They said to him: Are we to pillage the spoils, each person for himself, or are we to divide the spoils with the monarchy? He said to them: Gather the spoils like the gathering by the locusts. Just as in the gathering by the locusts, each and every one of the locusts takes food for itself, so too, in gathering your spoils, each and every one of you shall take spoils for himself.
אָמְרוּ לוֹ: וַהֲלֹא מָמוֹן עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים מְעוֹרָב בּוֹ? אָמַר לָהֶם: ״כְּמַשַּׁק גֵּבִים שׁוֹקֵק בּוֹ״. מָה גֵּבִים הַלָּלוּ מַעֲלִין אֶת הָאָדָם מִטּוּמְאָה לְטׇהֳרָה, אַף מָמוֹנָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל – כֵּיוָן שֶׁנָּפַל בְּיַד אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, מִיָּד טִיהַר. כִּדְרַב פָּפָּא, דְּאָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב טָהֲרוּ בְּסִיחוֹן.
They said to him: Since the army of Sennacherib came to Jerusalem after its conquest of the kingdom of Israel, isn’t the property of the ten tribes intermingled with it, and therefore, gathering the spoils would be robbery? He said to them: “As the advance of the locusts [gevim] shall he advance” (Isaiah 33:4). Just as these pools of water elevate a person up from a state of ritual impurity to a state of purity through immersion, so too the property of the Jewish people, once it falls into the hands of gentiles, it immediately purifies the property, in the sense that it is no longer considered robbery to take it, as its owners despair of its recovery. This is in accordance with the statement of Rav Pappa, as Rav Pappa says: The property of Ammon and Moab was purified through the conquest of Sihon. Although the Torah rendered it prohibited to conquer the land of Ammon and Moab, once Sihon conquered their land, it was permitted for the Jewish people to conquer it.
אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: עֶשֶׂר מַסָּעוֹת נָסַע אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בָּא עַל עַיַּת, עָבַר בְּמִגְרוֹן, לְמִכְמָשׂ יַפְקִיד כֵּלָיו. עָבְרוּ מַעְבָּרָה, גֶּבַע מָלוֹן לָנוּ, חָרְדָה הָרָמָה, גִּבְעַת שָׁאוּל נָסָה. צַהֲלִי קוֹלֵךְ בַּת גַּלִּים, הַקְשִׁיבִי לַיְשָׁה, עֲנִיָּה עֲנָתוֹת. נָדְדָה מַדְמֵנָה, יֹשְׁבֵי הַגֵּבִים הֵעִיזוּ. עוֹד הַיּוֹם בְּנֹב לַעֲמֹד, יְנֹפֵף יָדוֹ הַר בַּת צִיּוֹן גִּבְעַת יְרוּשָׁלִָם״.
§ Rav Huna says: That wicked Sennacherib traveled ten journeys on that day, as it is stated: “He is come to Aiath, he is passed through Migron; at Michmas he deposited his baggage. They passed [averu] Mabara; they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah trembles; Gibeath Shaul has fled. Cry with a shrill voice, daughter of Gallim; hearken, Laish; poor Anathoth. Madmenah is in flight; the inhabitants of Gebim flee to cover. This very day shall he halt at Nov; he shall shake his hand against the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem” (Isaiah 10:28–32). He traveled to all these places on the same day.
הָנֵי טוּבָא הָוְיָין? ״צַהֲלִי קוֹלֵךְ בַּת גַּלִּים״ – נָבִיא הוּא דְּקָאָמַר לַהּ לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל: ״צַהֲלִי קוֹלֵךְ בַּת גַּלִּים״, בִּתּוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב שֶׁעָשׂוּ מִצְוֹת כְּגַלֵּי הַיָּם. ״הַקְשִׁיבִי לַיְשָׁה״ – מֵהַאי לָא תִּסְתְּפַי, אֶלָּא אִיסְתְּפַי מִנְּבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הָרָשָׁע דִּמְתִיל כְּאַרְיֵה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עָלָה אַרְיֵה מִסֻּבְּכוֹ וְגוֹ׳״.
The Gemara asks: Aren’t these more than ten? The Gemara answers that in the verse: “Cry with a shrill voice, daughter of Gallim,” it is the prophet who is saying it to the congregation of Israel: “Cry with a shrill voice, daughter of Gallim,” daughter of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who performed mitzvot as numerous as the waves of the sea. “Hearken, Laish”; from this king, Sennacherib, fear not; but fear Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked who is likened to a lion, as it is stated: “The lion [arye] is gone up from its thicket” (Jeremiah 4:7).
מַאי
The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the phrase:
