My Musing
What is the fate of the Jewish people? This midrash wants us to understand that the Toldot- the derivatives or generations of Abraham are destined to be the entertainment of the idolaters. Whether it is the Philistines filling in the wells if Abraham and Isaac needing to dig them from anew, or it is Pharaoh plotting to kill the infants, to the middle ages where Jews were at the whim of the feudal lords, we must not despair. God is with us and while there will be people who do die for the entertainment of the idolaters; God will not forsake the Jewish people. We will always be here. And as the midrash makes sure to point out- it is by the grace of God that we exist.
What is the fate of the Jewish people? This midrash wants us to understand that the Toldot- the derivatives or generations of Abraham are destined to be the entertainment of the idolaters. Whether it is the Philistines filling in the wells if Abraham and Isaac needing to dig them from anew, or it is Pharaoh plotting to kill the infants, to the middle ages where Jews were at the whim of the feudal lords, we must not despair. God is with us and while there will be people who do die for the entertainment of the idolaters; God will not forsake the Jewish people. We will always be here. And as the midrash makes sure to point out- it is by the grace of God that we exist.
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת תולדות סימן ה
(בראשית כה:יט) "וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת יִצְחָק בֶּן אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד אֶת יִצְחָק"
"And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begot Isaac".
זה שאמר הכתוב (ישעיהו נד:יז) "כָּל כְּלִי יוּצַר עָלַיִךְ לֹא יִצְלָח וְכָל לָשׁוֹן תָּקוּם אִתָּךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּט תַּרְשִׁיעִי זֹאת נַחֲלַת עַבְדֵי יְדֹוָד וְצִדְקָתָם מֵאִתִּי נְאֻם יְדֹוָד"
This is what scripture said, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their due reward from Me, saith the LORD
You find Israel saying before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Master of the Universe, see how the idolaters enslave us. They have no other job but to sit and demand of us. As it says, "Behold Thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song."
אמר להן הקדוש ברוך הוא, 'מה הן מועילין? גוזרין עליכם גזירות ואני מבטלן ושוברן. שנאמר, "אֲנִי מַנְגִּינָתָם"
כמה דאת אמר (בראשית יד:כ) "וּבָרוּךְ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן אֲשֶׁר מִגֵּן צָרֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ וַיִּתֶּן לוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר מִכֹּל"
Said to them, the Holy One, blessed be He, What benefit does it pay to them? They decree on you and 'I' nullify and break them. As it says, "I am their song (shield)"
As it was that you said, " and blessed be God the Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.' And he gave him a tenth of all"
As it was that you said, " and blessed be God the Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.' And he gave him a tenth of all"
(שמות א:ב) "וַיְצַו פַּרְעֹה לְכָל עַמּוֹ לֵאמֹר כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ וְכָל הַבַּת תְּחַיּוּן"
ורוח הקודש צווחת (איכה ג:לז) "מִי זֶה אָמַר וַתֶּהִי אֲדֹנָי לֹא צִוָּה"
פרעה צוה, ה' לא צוה. אלא (שמות א:יב) "וְכַאֲשֶׁר יְעַנּוּ אֹתוֹ כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וְכֵן יִפְרֹץ וַיָּקֻצוּ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל"
And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying: 'Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
And the Holy Spirit cries " Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?"
Pharaoh commanded, God did not. Rather " But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And they were adread because of the children of Israel.
המן בקש להשמיד את כל היהודים וה' לא בקש (אסתר ט:א) "וּבִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ הוּא חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם בּוֹ אֲשֶׁר הִגִּיעַ דְּבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ וְדָתוֹ לְהֵעָשׂוֹת בַּיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר שִׂבְּרוּ אֹיְבֵי הַיְּהוּדִים לִשְׁלוֹט בָּהֶם וְנַהֲפוֹךְ הוּא אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁלְטוּ הַיְּהוּדִים הֵמָּה בְּשֹׂנְאֵיהֶם"
Haman requested to decimate all the Jews and God did not ask. " Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have rule over them; whereas it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;
בלק ובלעם בקשו לקלל את ישראל וה' לא בקש שנאמר (דברים כג:ו) "וְלֹא אָבָה יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקֶיךָ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל בִּלְעָם וַיַּהֲפֹךְ יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקֶיךָ לְּךָ אֶת הַקְּלָלָה לִבְרָכָה כִּי אֲהֵבְךָ יְדֹוָד אֱלקֶיךָ"
לפיכך כתיב "מִי זֶה אָמַר וַתֶּהִי אֲדֹנָי לֹא צִוָּה". הוי "כָּל כְּלִי יוּצַר עָלַיִךְ לֹא יִצְלָח".
Bilam and Balak wanted to curse Israel and God did not as it says," Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee." Therefore it is written, "when the Lord commandeth it not?"
אדריאנוס אמר לרבי יהושע, 'גדולה הכבשה העומדת בין שבעים זאבים'. אמר ליה, 'גדול הוא הרועה שמצילה ושומרה ושוברן לפניה.'
הוי "כָּל כְּלִי יוּצַר עָלַיִךְ לֹא יִצְלָח".
Adrianus said to Rabbi Yehoshua, "greater is the lamb who stands among 70 wolves. Said to him, Greater is the shepherd who saves her and protects her and breaks them in front of her". That is the fulfillment of the verse " No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper"
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