NOW IT CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS OF AMRAFEL KING OF SHINAR. R. Jose expounded in this connection the text: Who hath raised up one from the East, whom Righteousness calleth to follow him? (Is. 41, 2). He said: ‘This verse has been explained in various ways, but it also contains an esoteric allusion. God, we have learnt, has made seven firmaments on high, all of which acknowledge the glory of the Almighty and are capable of pointing the lesson of true faith.
Now there is above these seven a hidden firmament which guides and illumines them. Of this one we cannot discover the true nature, however much we inquire and therefore it is designated by the interrogative particle Mi (Who), as has been pointed out: hence the Scripture says: “From the womb of Whom (Mi) came forth the ice” (Job 38, 29), which has been explained to refer to the highest firmament over the other seven.
At the bottom again there is a firmament, the lowest of all, which has no light; and on that account the highest firmament joins with it in such a way as to insert in it the two letters of its own name, so that it is called Yam (sea), being, as it were, the sea of that highest firmament,
because all the other firmaments serve as streams (to convey its light), and flow into this lowest one as into a sea; and it thereupon produces fruits and fishes after their kind, and in reference to this David said; “Lo, the sea great and wide, wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great beasts” (Ps. 104, 25).
We now see what is meant by the words “Who raised up from the East”. The one raised up was Abraham. The words “Righteousness calleth him to follow him” refer to the lowest firmament which has become “sea”. It is this which “giveth nations before him”, which executes vengeance and overthrows the enemy.
“He giveth nations before him”: these are the peoples of the earth. “And maketh him to rule over kings”: these are the guardian-angels of the nations above, for when God executes judgement on a people, He does so both below and above.
“He pursueth them and passeth on safely” (Is. 41, 3): this is Abram who pursued them while God passed before him and slew them, as it says, “Peace passeth on” (Ibid.), “Peace” referring to God.
“Even bv a wav that he had not gone by his feet”: if not with his feet, how then did Abram go-on the clouds or with horses and chariots? No: what it means is that it was not an angel or a messenger, but God Himself, that went before Abram, the word “feet” here referring to the angels, who are subject to God, as in the verse “And his feet shall stand in that dav” (Zech. 14, 4).
Another explanation of the verse is as follows. When God “awoke” the world to bring Abram and to draw him near to Himself, this was because Jacob was destined to issue from him and to establish twelve tribes who should all be righteous in the sight of God.
“Whom he calleth in righteousness”: because God was calling him constantly from the day that the world was created, as it is written, “calling the generations from the beginning” (Is. 41, 4). “To his foot”: i.e. to attach him to His service and to bring him near to Himself.
R. Judah says: “Who aroused from the East” this refers to Abraham, who received his first impulse to seek God from the East. For when he saw the sun issuing in the morning from the East, he was first moved to think that that was God, and said “this is the King that created me”, and worshipped it the whole day. In the evening when the sun went down and the moon commenced to shine, he said, “Verily this rules over the orb which I worshipped the whole day, since the latter is darkened before it and does not shine any more.” So he served the moon all that night.
In the morning when he saw the darkness depart and the East grow light, he said, “Of a surety there is a king who rules over all these orbs and orders them.” So when God saw Abram’s longing to find Him, He revealed Himself unto him and spoke with him, as it is written, “Righteousness called to him to follow him.”
R. Isaac explained in connection with Abraham the verse: I am the Lord speaking righteousness, declaring what is right (Is. 45, 19). He said: ‘AII God’s words are truth and His acts are righteousness. For when God first created the world it was unstable and rocked to and fro. Said God to the world, Wherefore rockest thou? It answered: Sovereign of the Universe, I cannot be firm, because I have no foundation on which to rest.
God thereupon said: Behold, I intend to raise up in thee a righteous man, Abraham, who will love Me. Hearing this, the world straightway became firmly established; therefore it is written, “these are the generations of the heavens and the earth behibaream (when they were created), which by a transposition of letters becomes beabraham (for the sake of Abraham).’
R. Hiya enlarged upon the words “declaring what is right”. He said: ‘The world continued to remonstrate with God, saying, “From this Abraham will issue descendants1The peoples of Ishmael and Esau. who will destroy the Temple and burn the Law.” God replied: “He will also have one descendant, namely Jacob, who will be the father of twelve tribes who will all be righteous.” Forthwith the world was established for his sake, and therefore God is said to be “declaring (the advent of) things that are right”.’
R. Eleazar said: ‘It has been noted that there is a difference between “speaking” (dober) and “declaring” (maggid). “Speaking” is from a revealed source, an outer grade, not of the highest; therefore it is applied here to “righteousness” (zedek).
But “declaring” indicates the inner grade which controls that belonging to “speaking”; hence it says here “declaring things that are right” (mesharim), these referring to the higher grade in which is that of Jacob.’
Said R. Isaac to him, ‘Is there not a text “he declares to you his covenant” (Deut. 4, 13)?’ He replied: ‘The “covenant” also is a grade superior to that referred to in the expression “speaking righteousness”. One must be careful too to note that although “speaking” is lower than “declaring”, it still actually designates a high grade and is very pregnant in signification.’
R. Eleazar was once on the way to visit his father-in-law along with R. Hiya and R. Jose and R. Hizkiah. Said R. Eleazar, ‘It is borne in upon me that stirring above is produced only in response to an impulse from below, and depends upon the longing of that below.’
וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אַמְרָפֶל מֶלֶךְ שִׁנְעָר וְגו'. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח (ישעיהו מ״א:ב׳) מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ וְגו'. הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָיא. אֲבָל הַאי קְרָא בְּרָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא אִיהוּ. דְּהָא תָּנִינָן שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִין עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעֵילָא, וְכֻלְהוּ לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע יְקָרָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְכֻלְהוּ קָיְימִין לְאוֹדָעָא רָזָא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה.
NOW IT CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS OF AMRAFEL KING OF SHINAR. R. Jose expounded in this connection the text: Who hath raised up one from the East, whom Righteousness calleth to follow him? (Is. 41, 2). He said: ‘This verse has been explained in various ways, but it also contains an esoteric allusion. God, we have learnt, has made seven firmaments on high, all of which acknowledge the glory of the Almighty and are capable of pointing the lesson of true faith.
תָּא חֲזֵי, אִית רְקִיעָא עִלָּאָה סָתִים לְעֵילָא מִנַּיְיהוּ דְּאִנּוּן שִׁבְעָה, וְדָא הוּא רְקִיעָא דְּדַבָּר לוֹן וְנָהִיר לוֹן לְכֻלְהוּ, וְדָא לָא אִתְיְידַע, וְקָיְימָא בִּשְׁאֶלְתָּא דְּלָא יְדִיעָא, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ סָתִים וְעָמִיק, וְכֹלָּא תְּוָוהִין עֲלֵיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרֵי מִ"י, כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהָ דִּכְתִיב, (איוב ל״ח:כ״ט) מִבֶּטֶן מִי יָצָא הַקָּרַח וְאִתְּמָר, וְהַאי הוּא רְקִיעָא עִלָּאָה דְּקָיְימָא עַל כָּל אִנּוּן שִׁבְעָה.
Now there is above these seven a hidden firmament which guides and illumines them. Of this one we cannot discover the true nature, however much we inquire and therefore it is designated by the interrogative particle Mi (Who), as has been pointed out: hence the Scripture says: “From the womb of Whom (Mi) came forth the ice” (Job 38, 29), which has been explained to refer to the highest firmament over the other seven.
וְאִית לְתַתָּא רְקִיעָא דְּאִיהוּ תַּתָּאָה מִכֻּלְהוּ וְלָא נָהִיר, וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ תַּתָּאָה דְּלָא נָהִיר, הַהוּא רְקִיעָא דְּעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְחַבַּר בֵּיהּ, וְאִלֵּין תְּרֵין אַתְוָון כָּלִיל לוֹן בְּגַוֵּיהּ וְאִקְרֵי יָם, דְּהַהוּא רְקִיעָא עִלָּאָה דְּאִקְרֵי מִ"י.
At the bottom again there is a firmament, the lowest of all, which has no light; and on that account the highest firmament joins with it in such a way as to insert in it the two letters of its own name, so that it is called Yam (sea), being, as it were, the sea of that highest firmament,
בְּגִין דְּכָל אִנּוּן רְקִיעִין אָחֳרָנִין אִתְעֲבִידוּ נַחֲלִין וְעָאלִין לְגַבֵּיהּ, וּכְדֵין אִיהוּ יַם עִלָּאָה וְעֲבַד אִיבִּין וְנוּנִין לִזְנַיְיהוּ, וְעַל דָּא אָמַר דָּוִד (תהילים ק״ד:כ״ה) זֶה הַיָּם גָּדוֹל וּרְחַב יָדַיִם שָׁם רֶמֶשׂ וְאֵין מִסְפָּר חַיּוֹת קְטַנּוֹת עִם גְּדוֹלוֹת.
because all the other firmaments serve as streams (to convey its light), and flow into this lowest one as into a sea; and it thereupon produces fruits and fishes after their kind, and in reference to this David said; “Lo, the sea great and wide, wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great beasts” (Ps. 104, 25).
וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו מ״א:ב׳) מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ. מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח. דָּא אַבְרָהָם. צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ. (נ"א דא שרה, ד"א צדק יקראהו לרגלו וגו') דָּא הוּא רְקִיעָא תַּתָּאָה דְּכֻלְהוּ רְקִיעִין דְּאִתְעֲבִיד יָם. יִתֵּן לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם. מַאן הַאי, הוּא רְקִיעָא תַּתָּאָה דְּאֲמָרָן דְּעֲבִיד נוּקְמִין וְאַפִּיל שָׂנְאִין. וּבְהַאי אִשְׁתַּבַּח דָּוִד וְאָמַר (תהילים י״ח:מ״א) וְאֹיבַי נָתַתָּה לִּי עֹרֶף וּמְשַׂנְאַי אַצְמִיתֵם.
We now see what is meant by the words “Who raised up from the East”. The one raised up was Abraham. The words “Righteousness calleth him to follow him” refer to the lowest firmament which has become “sea”. It is this which “giveth nations before him”, which executes vengeance and overthrows the enemy.
(ישעיהו מ״א:ב׳) יִתֵּן לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם. אִלֵּין אִנּוּן עַמִּין דְּהֲוָה רָדִיף עֲלֵיהוֹן אַבְרָהָם וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה קָטִיל לוֹן. (ומלכים ירד. (מאי ירד אלא) אלין מלכים דממנן לעילא עלייהו. יתן לפניו גוים, אלין עמין דלתתא) וּמְלָכִים יַרְדְּ אִלֵּין מְמַנָּן רַבְרְבָן דִּלְעֵילָא. דְּכַד עֲבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא (ד"א בעמא) בְּכֹלָּא עֲבִיד דִּינָא בְּעֵילָא וְתַתָּא.
“He giveth nations before him”: these are the peoples of the earth. “And maketh him to rule over kings”: these are the guardian-angels of the nations above, for when God executes judgement on a people, He does so both below and above.
יִרְדְּפֵם יַעֲבוֹר שָׁלוֹם אֹרַח בְּרַגְלָיו לֹא יָבוֹא. יִרְדְּפֵם דָּא אַבְרָהָם. דְּאַבְרָהָם הֲוָה רָדִיף לוֹן, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה עָבַר קַמֵּיהּ וְקָטִיל לוֹן. דִּכְתִיב יַעֲבוֹר שָׁלוֹם דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁלוֹם.
“He pursueth them and passeth on safely” (Is. 41, 3): this is Abram who pursued them while God passed before him and slew them, as it says, “Peace passeth on” (Ibid.), “Peace” referring to God.
אֹרַח בְּרַגְלָיו לא יָבוֹא. וְכִי סַלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ דְּהֲוָה אַבְרָהָם אָזִיל בְּגוֹ עֲנָנֵי אוֹ בְּגוֹ סוּסְוָון וּרְתִיכִין. אֶלָּא אֹרַח בְּרַגְלָיו לֹא יָבוֹא, דְּלָא הֲוָה אָזִיל קַמֵּיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם לָא מַלְאָכָא וְלָא שְׁלִיחָא אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי דִּכְתִיב אֹרַח בְּרַגְלָיו. מַאן רַגְלָיו אִלֵּין מַלְאָכִין דְּאִנּוּן תְּחוֹתוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (זכריה י״ד:ד׳) וְעָמְדוּ רַגְלָיו בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְגו'.
“Even bv a wav that he had not gone by his feet”: if not with his feet, how then did Abram go-on the clouds or with horses and chariots? No: what it means is that it was not an angel or a messenger, but God Himself, that went before Abram, the word “feet” here referring to the angels, who are subject to God, as in the verse “And his feet shall stand in that dav” (Zech. 14, 4).
דָּבָר אַחֵר מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְעָר עָלְמָא לְאַיְיתָאָה לְאַבְרָהָם וּלְקָרְבָא לֵיהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, הַאי אִתְעֲרוּתָא בְּגִין דְּזַמִּין יַעֲקֹב לְמֵיפַּק מִנֵּיהּ וּלְקָיְימָא תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין כֻּלְהוּ זַכָּאִין קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
Another explanation of the verse is as follows. When God “awoke” the world to bring Abram and to draw him near to Himself, this was because Jacob was destined to issue from him and to establish twelve tribes who should all be righteous in the sight of God.
צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ. דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה קָרֵי לֵיהּ תָּדִיר מִן יוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ישעיהו מ״א:ד׳) קוֹרֵא הַדּוֹרוֹת מֵרֹאשׁ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ וַדַּאי. לְרַגְלוֹ, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בֵּיהּ בְּפוּלְחָנֵיהּ וּלְקָרְבָא לֵיהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (שמות י״א:ח׳) הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֶיךָ.
“Whom he calleth in righteousness”: because God was calling him constantly from the day that the world was created, as it is written, “calling the generations from the beginning” (Is. 41, 4). “To his foot”: i.e. to attach him to His service and to bring him near to Himself.
דָּבָר אַחֵר מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח. דְּמִתַּמָּן שֵׁרוּתָא דִּנְהוֹרָא לְאַנְהָרָא. בְּגִין דְּדָרוֹם הַהוּא תּוּקְפָא דִילֵיהּ מִגּוֹ מִזְרָח אִיהוּ. וְעַל דָּא מִי הֵעִיר הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּדָרוֹם. מִמִּזְרָח, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ נָטִיל וְאִתְּזָן בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וְתִיאוּבְתָּא דְּהַהוּא רְקִיעָא עִלָּאָה לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ לְמִזְרָח.
צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ. דָּא מַעֲרָב, דְּאִיהוּ קָרֵי לֵיהּ תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (תהילים פ״ג:ב׳) אֱלֹהִים אַל דֳּמִי לָךְ אַל תֶּחרָשׁ וְאַל תִּשְׁקוֹט אֵל. בְּגִין דְּמַעֲרָב אִתְעַר תָּדִיר לְגַבֵּיהּ. יִתֵּן לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם וּמְלָכִים יַרְדְּ. דְּהָא מִנֵּיהּ קַבִּיל תּוּקְפָא לְאַכְנָעָא כָּל אִנּוּן עַמִּין דְּעָלְמָא.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר (ישעיהו מ״א:ב׳) מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח, דָּא אַבְרָהָם דְּלָא נָטִיל אִתְעֲרוּתָא לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֶלָּא מִמִּזְרָח, בְּגִין דְּחָמָא שִׁמְשָׁא דְּנָפִיק בְּצַפְרָא מִסִּטְרָא דְמִזְרָח, נָטִיל אִתְעֲרוּתָא לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּאִיהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. אָמַר דָּא הוּא מַלְכָּא דְּבָרָא יָתִי. פְּלַח לֵיהּ כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא, לְרַמְשָׁא חָמָא שִׁמְשָׁא דְּאִתְכְּנִישׁ (וירחא נפקת) וְסִיהֲרָא נָהֲרָא. אָמַר דָּא הוּא וַדַּאי דְּשַׁלִּיט עַל הַהוּא פּוּלְחָנָא דְּפָלָחִית כָּל הַאי יוֹמָא, דְּהָא אִתְחֲשַׁךְ קַמֵּיהּ וְלָא נָהִיר. פָּלַח לֵיהּ כָּל הַהוּא לֵילְיָא.
R. Judah says: “Who aroused from the East” this refers to Abraham, who received his first impulse to seek God from the East. For when he saw the sun issuing in the morning from the East, he was first moved to think that that was God, and said “this is the King that created me”, and worshipped it the whole day. In the evening when the sun went down and the moon commenced to shine, he said, “Verily this rules over the orb which I worshipped the whole day, since the latter is darkened before it and does not shine any more.” So he served the moon all that night.
לְצַפְרָא חָמָא דְּאָזְלָא חֲשׁוֹכָא וְאִתְנְהִיר סִטְרָא דְמִזְרָח. אָמַר וַדַּאי כָּל אִלֵּין מַלְכָּא אִית עֲלַיְיהוּ וְשַׁלִּיט דְּאַנְהִיג לוֹן. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְּאַבְרָהָם לְגַבֵּיהּ, כְּדֵין אִתְגָּלֵי עֲלוֹי וּמַלִּיל עִמֵּיהּ, דִּכְתִיב צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ. דְּמַלִּיל עִמֵּיהּ וְאִתְגְלֵי עֲלֵיהּ.
In the morning when he saw the darkness depart and the East grow light, he said, “Of a surety there is a king who rules over all these orbs and orders them.” So when God saw Abram’s longing to find Him, He revealed Himself unto him and spoke with him, as it is written, “Righteousness called to him to follow him.”
רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (ישעיהו מ״ה:י״ט) דּוֹבֵר צֶדֶק מַגִּיד מֵישָׁרִים. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּל מִלּוֹי אִנּוּן בְּקוּשְׁטָא, וְעֲבִיד מֵישָׁרִים, בְּמָּה עֲבִיד מֵישָׁרִים. בְּגִין דְּכַד בְּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא, לָא הֲוָה קָאִים וְהֲוָה מִתְמוֹטֵט לְהָכָא וּלְהָכָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעָלְמָא, מַה לָּךְ דְּאַתְּ מִתְמוֹטֵט. אָמַר לֵיהּ, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם לָא יָכִילְנָא לְמֵיקַם דְּלֵית בִּי יְסוֹדָא עַל מַה דְּאִתְקַיָּים.
R. Isaac explained in connection with Abraham the verse: I am the Lord speaking righteousness, declaring what is right (Is. 45, 19). He said: ‘AII God’s words are truth and His acts are righteousness. For when God first created the world it was unstable and rocked to and fro. Said God to the world, Wherefore rockest thou? It answered: Sovereign of the Universe, I cannot be firm, because I have no foundation on which to rest.
אָמַר לֵיהּ הָא אֲנָא זַמִּין לְמֵיקַם בָּךְ חַד צַדִּיק דְּאִיהוּ אַבְרָהָם דִּי יַרְחִים לִי. מִיָּד קָאִים עָלְמָא בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (בראשית ב) אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם אַל תִּקְרָא בְּהִבָּרְאָם אֶלָּא בְּאַבְרָהָם. בְּאַבְרָהָם מִתְקַיֵּים עָלְמָא.
God thereupon said: Behold, I intend to raise up in thee a righteous man, Abraham, who will love Me. Hearing this, the world straightway became firmly established; therefore it is written, “these are the generations of the heavens and the earth behibaream (when they were created), which by a transposition of letters becomes beabraham (for the sake of Abraham).’
אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא (ישעיהו מ״ה:י״ט) מַגִּיד מֵישָׁרִים. דְּהָא אָתִיב לֵיהּ עָלְמָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הַהוּא אַבְרָהָם זַמִּין הוּא דְּיִפְקוּן מִנֵּיהּ בְּנִין דְּיַחֲרִיבוּ מַקְדְּשָׁא וְיוֹקִידוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא. (נ"א לנפקא מניה ישמעאל, אמר ליה הא יצחק, אמר ליה זמין למיפק מניה עשו חייבא דיחרב בי מקדשא ויוקיד אורייתא), אָמַר לֵיהּ זַמִּין חַד בַּר נָשׁ לְמֵיפַּק מִנֵּיהּ דְּאִיהוּ יַעֲקֹב וְיִפְקוּן מִנֵּיהּ תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין כֻּלְהוּ זַכָּאִין. מִיָּד אִתְקְיַּים עָלְמָא בְּגִינֵיהּ הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב מַגִּיד מֵישָׁרִים.
R. Hiya enlarged upon the words “declaring what is right”. He said: ‘The world continued to remonstrate with God, saying, “From this Abraham will issue descendants1The peoples of Ishmael and Esau. who will destroy the Temple and burn the Law.” God replied: “He will also have one descendant, namely Jacob, who will be the father of twelve tribes who will all be righteous.” Forthwith the world was established for his sake, and therefore God is said to be “declaring (the advent of) things that are right”.’
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר הָא אַתְעַרְנָא וַיְדַבֵּר וַיַּגֵּד וַיֹּאמֶר כֻּלְהוּ לְטַעֲמַיְיהוּ מִתְפָּרְשָׁן. וַיְדַבֵּר אִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא דַּרְגָּא לְבַר, דְּלָא אִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא פְּנִימָאָה כְּאִנּוּן דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין, וְדָא אִיהוּ (ישעיה מה) דּוֹבֵר צֶדֶק.
R. Eleazar said: ‘It has been noted that there is a difference between “speaking” (dober) and “declaring” (maggid). “Speaking” is from a revealed source, an outer grade, not of the highest; therefore it is applied here to “righteousness” (zedek).
וַיַּגֵּד אִיהוּ רֶמֶז לְדַרְגָּא פְּנִימָאָה עִלָּאָה דְּשַׁלְטָאָה עַל דִּבּוּר, וְדָא הוּא מַגִּיד מֵישָׁרִים. מַאן מֵישָׁרִים דָּא דַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה דְיַעֲקֹב שַׁרְיָיא בֵּיהּ הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים צ״ט:ד׳) אַתָּה כּוֹנַנְתָּ מֵישָׁרִים. וּבְגִין כָּךְ מַגִּיד כְּתִיב, וְלָא כְּתִיב דּוֹבֵר.
But “declaring” indicates the inner grade which controls that belonging to “speaking”; hence it says here “declaring things that are right” (mesharim), these referring to the higher grade in which is that of Jacob.’
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק וְהָא כְּתִיב, (דברים ד׳:י״ג) וַיַּגֵּד לָכֶם אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ. אָמַר לֵיהּ הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי אִיהוּ דַרְגָּא דְּשָׁלְטָא עַל תַּתָּאָה דְּאִיהוּ דּוֹבֵר צֶדֶק. וְכֹלָּא (בה) אִיהוּ (נ"א לאשתלא איבא) לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא (איכא) הָכָא. (נ"א אתיא) תָּא חֲזֵי, דְאַף עַל גַּב דְּדִּבּוּר אִיהוּ תַּתָּאָה, לָא תֵימָא דְּלָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ, אֶלָּא וַדַּאי דִּבּוּר מַלְיָיא אִיהוּ מִכֹּלָּא וְדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ. וְסִימָנִיךְ (דברים לכ) כִּי לא דָּבָר רֵק הוּא מִכֶּם.
Said R. Isaac to him, ‘Is there not a text “he declares to you his covenant” (Deut. 4, 13)?’ He replied: ‘The “covenant” also is a grade superior to that referred to in the expression “speaking righteousness”. One must be careful too to note that although “speaking” is lower than “declaring”, it still actually designates a high grade and is very pregnant in signification.’
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה אָזִיל לְבֵי חֲמוֹי, וְהֲווּ עִמֵּיהּ רַבִּי חִיָּיא וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הָא חָמֵינָא דְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא דִלְעֵילָא לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא כַּד אִתְעַר לְתַתָּא, דְּהָא אִתְעֲרוּתָא דִלְעֵילָא בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא דִלְתַתָּא תַּלְיָיא (מלתא).
R. Eleazar was once on the way to visit his father-in-law along with R. Hiya and R. Jose and R. Hizkiah. Said R. Eleazar, ‘It is borne in upon me that stirring above is produced only in response to an impulse from below, and depends upon the longing of that below.’