R. Simeon compared the Egyptian with the Babylonian exile, basing his remarks on the text: “The word of the Lord came (lit. coming came) to Ezekiel” (Ezek. 1, 3). ‘Why’, he said, ‘the double expression “coming came”? Moreover, if Ezekiel was indeed a faithful prophet, why did he disclose the whole of his vision? Is it right and meet for one whom the king has invited to his palace to reveal all the secrets which he has seen there? Now Ezekiel was indeed a faithful prophet, and whatever he saw he faithfully kept secret, and whatever he revealed he revealed by permission of the Holy One, blessed be He, and for proper reasons.
Observe now that one who is accustomed to pain bears it patiently, but if one is not accustomed to pain and has always lived at ease, when pain comes upon him he really feels it keenly and deserves to be pitied.
So when Israel went to Egypt they were inured to suffering, their father, the righteous Jacob, having been all his life a man of sorrows, and they could thus endure the exile patiently. But the exile of Babylon was a real torment for which there was weeping both in heaven and on earth,
as it is written: “Behold, their heroes (angels) cried without, the angels of peace weeped bitterly” (Isa. 33, 7); “by the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion” (Ps. 137, 1): yea truly, all joined in the lamentation. They who had been brought up in royal luxury
5
(אד"ג דתנן אמר רבי יצחק, מאי דכתיב, (ירמיהו ט׳:ט׳) על ההרים אשא בכי ונהי. אלא, אלין אינון טוריא רמיא דעלמין. ומאן אינון טוריא רמיא, אינון, בני ציון היקרים המסולאים בפז) וְהַשְּׁתָּא הֲווֹ נַחְתִּין בְּגָלוּתָא, בְּרֵיחַיָּא עַל קַדְלֵיהוֹן וִידֵיהוֹן מְהַדְּקָן לַאֲחוֹרָא. וְכַד עָאלוּ בְּגָלוּתָא בְּבָבֶל, חָשִׁיבוּ דְּהָא לֵית לְהוּ קִיּוּמָא לְעָלְמִין, דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁבִיק לוֹן, וְלָא יַשְׁגַּח בְּהוֹן לְעָלְמִין.
were now driven into exile with their necks yoked and their hands fettered; and when they reached the land of exile despair settled in their hearts, and they thought that they would never be raised up again, since God had deserted them.
At that hour the Holy One called together all His heavenly hosts, His Family above, all the holy Chariots, the lower and the higher ranks, the whole celestial army, and spoke to them thus: “What do ye here? My beloved children are captives in Babylon, and do ye remain here? Arise, all of you, and go to them, and I will go with you.”
When the celestial Company arrived in Babylon, the heavens opened, and the holy spirit of prophecy descended upon Ezekiel, and he saw his wonderful vision, and proclaimed to the exiles: “Behold, your Master is here, and all the celestial beings have come down to be your companions.” But they believed it not, and so he was compelled to disclose to them the whole of his heavenly vision. Then their joy was exceedingly great, and they recked not of the exile, knowing that the Lord Himself was in their midst. They were all filled with a perfect love of Him, ready to sacrifice themselves for the holiness of the All-Holy, blessed be He! This is the reason why the prophet disclosed to them all that he saw.
We have been taught that wherever Israel went into captivity the Shekinah went with her. We learn this in the present instance from the expression “children of [the supernal] Israel”, which we take here to refer to the heavenly hosts and chariots, which, we are told, “came with Jacob to Egypt”.’
רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח, (יחזקאל א') הָיֹה הָיָה דְּבַר ה', הָיֹה הָיָה תְּרֵי זִמְנִי אֲמַאי. וְתוּ אִית לְשָׁאֲלָה, אִי יְחֶזְקֵאל נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא הֲוָה, (שמות פ"ב ב') אֲמַאי גַּלֵּי כָּל מַה דְּחָמָא, מַאן דְּמַלְכָּא אָעִיל לֵיהּ בְּהֵיכָלֵיהּ אִית לֵיהּ לְגַלָאָה רָזִין דְּחָמֵי. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי יְחֶזְקֵאל נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא הֲוָה, וְכָל מַה דְּחָמָא בִּמְהֵימָנוּתָא אִיהוּ, וּבִרְשׁוּתָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גַּלֵּי כָּל מַה דְּגַלֵּי, וְכֹלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ.
R. Simeon compared the Egyptian with the Babylonian exile, basing his remarks on the text: “The word of the Lord came (lit. coming came) to Ezekiel” (Ezek. 1, 3). ‘Why’, he said, ‘the double expression “coming came”? Moreover, if Ezekiel was indeed a faithful prophet, why did he disclose the whole of his vision? Is it right and meet for one whom the king has invited to his palace to reveal all the secrets which he has seen there? Now Ezekiel was indeed a faithful prophet, and whatever he saw he faithfully kept secret, and whatever he revealed he revealed by permission of the Holy One, blessed be He, and for proper reasons.
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, מַאן דְּרָגִיל לְמִסְבַּל צַעֲרָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּאָתֵי לְפוּם שַׁעְתָא צַעֲרָא, סָבִיל מַטְלָנוֹי, וְלָא חָיִישׁ, אֲבָל מַאן דְּלָא רָגִיל בְּצַּעַר, וַהֲוָה כָּל יוֹמוֹי בְּתַפְנוּקִין וְעִידוּנִין, וְאָתֵי לֵיהּ צַעֲרָא, דָּא אִיהוּ צַעֲרָא שְׁלִים, וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִבְכֵּי.
Observe now that one who is accustomed to pain bears it patiently, but if one is not accustomed to pain and has always lived at ease, when pain comes upon him he really feels it keenly and deserves to be pitied.
כַּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כַּד נַחְתּוּ לְמִצְרַיִם, רְגִילִין בְּצַעֲרָא הֲווֹ, דְּהָא כָּל יוֹמוֹי דְּהַהוּא זַכָּאָה אֲבוּהוֹן בְּצַעֲרָא הֲוָה, וְעַל דָּא סָבְלוּ גָּלוּתָא כְּדְקָא יָאוּת. אֲבָל גָּלוּתָא דְּבָבֶל הַהוּא הֲוָה צַעֲרָא שְׁלִים, הַהוּא הֲוָה צַעֲרָא דְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין בָּכָאן עָלֵיהּ.
So when Israel went to Egypt they were inured to suffering, their father, the righteous Jacob, having been all his life a man of sorrows, and they could thus endure the exile patiently. But the exile of Babylon was a real torment for which there was weeping both in heaven and on earth,
עִלָּאִין: דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיהו ל״ג:ז׳) הֵן אֶרְאֶלָּם צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה וְגוֹ'. תַּתָּאִין: דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים קל״ז:א׳) עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל שָׁם יָשַׁבְנוּ וְגוֹ' כֻּלְּהוֹן בָּכוּ עַל גָּלוּתָא דְּבָבֶל. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דַּהֲווֹ בְּתַפְנוּקֵי מַלְכִין דִּכְתִּיב, (איכה ד׳:ב׳) בְּנֵי צִיּוֹן הַיְקָרִים וְגוֹ'.
as it is written: “Behold, their heroes (angels) cried without, the angels of peace weeped bitterly” (Isa. 33, 7); “by the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion” (Ps. 137, 1): yea truly, all joined in the lamentation. They who had been brought up in royal luxury
(אד"ג דתנן אמר רבי יצחק, מאי דכתיב, (ירמיהו ט׳:ט׳) על ההרים אשא בכי ונהי. אלא, אלין אינון טוריא רמיא דעלמין. ומאן אינון טוריא רמיא, אינון, בני ציון היקרים המסולאים בפז) וְהַשְּׁתָּא הֲווֹ נַחְתִּין בְּגָלוּתָא, בְּרֵיחַיָּא עַל קַדְלֵיהוֹן וִידֵיהוֹן מְהַדְּקָן לַאֲחוֹרָא. וְכַד עָאלוּ בְּגָלוּתָא בְּבָבֶל, חָשִׁיבוּ דְּהָא לֵית לְהוּ קִיּוּמָא לְעָלְמִין, דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁבִיק לוֹן, וְלָא יַשְׁגַּח בְּהוֹן לְעָלְמִין.
were now driven into exile with their necks yoked and their hands fettered; and when they reached the land of exile despair settled in their hearts, and they thought that they would never be raised up again, since God had deserted them.
וְתָנֵינָן, אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא קָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְכָל פָּמַלְיָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְכָל רְתִיכִין קַדִּישִׁין, וְכָל חֵילֵיהּ וּמַשִּׁרְיָיתֵיהּ, וְרַבְרְבָנוֹי, וְכָל חֵילָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא, וְאָמַר לוֹן, מָה אָתּוּן עַבְדִּין הָכָא, וּמַה בְּנֵי רְחִימָאי בְּגָלוּתָא דְּבָבֶל, וְאָתּוּן הָכָא, קוּמוּ חוּתוּ כֻּלְּכוֹן לְבָּבֶל, וַאֲנָא עִמְּכוֹן. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיהו מ״ג:י״ד) כֹּה אָמַר ה' לְמַעַנְכֶם שִׁלַּחְתִּי בָבֶלָה וְגוֹ'. לְמַעַנְכֶם שִׁלַּחְתִּי בָבֶלָה, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְהוֹרַדְתִּי בָרִיחִים כּוּלָם, אִלֵּין כָּל רְתִיכִין וּמַשִׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין.
At that hour the Holy One called together all His heavenly hosts, His Family above, all the holy Chariots, the lower and the higher ranks, the whole celestial army, and spoke to them thus: “What do ye here? My beloved children are captives in Babylon, and do ye remain here? Arise, all of you, and go to them, and I will go with you.”
כַּד נַחְתּוּ לְבָּבֶל, אִתְפַּתָּחוּ שְׁמַיָּא, וְשָׁרָאת רוּחַ נְבוּאָה קַדִּישָׁא עַל יְחֶזְקֵאל, וְחָמָא כָּל מַה דְּחָמָא, וְאָמַר לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הָא מָארֵיכוֹן הָכָא, וְכָל חֵילֵי שְׁמַיָּא וּרְתִּיכוּ, דְּאָתוּ לְמֵידָר בֵּינֵיכוֹן. לָא הֵימְנוּהוּ, עַד דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְגַלָּאָה כָּל מַה דְּחָמָא, וָאֵרֶא כָּךְ, וָאֵרֶא כָּךְ. וְאִי גַּלֵּי יַתִּיר, מַה דְּגַלֵּי כֹּלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּךְ, חַדוּ. וְכַד שָׁמְעוּ מִלִּין מִפּוּמֵיהּ דִיחֶזְקֵאל, לָא חַיְישׁוּ עַל גָּלְוּתְהוֹן כְּלָל, דְּהָא יָדְעוּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא שָׁבִיק לוֹן. וְכָל מַה דְּגַלֵּי בִּרְשׁוּתָא גַּלֵּי. (ל"א ואמר רבי שמעון ביה שעתא חדו ישראל חדוותא שלימתא בסיעתא דמאריהון דהוה עמהון וכל חד מנייהו עאל רעותא דלביה ברחימותא סגיא למיסר נפשיה על קדושתא דמאריהון ובגין כך גלי יחזקאל כל מה דגלי)
When the celestial Company arrived in Babylon, the heavens opened, and the holy spirit of prophecy descended upon Ezekiel, and he saw his wonderful vision, and proclaimed to the exiles: “Behold, your Master is here, and all the celestial beings have come down to be your companions.” But they believed it not, and so he was compelled to disclose to them the whole of his heavenly vision. Then their joy was exceedingly great, and they recked not of the exile, knowing that the Lord Himself was in their midst. They were all filled with a perfect love of Him, ready to sacrifice themselves for the holiness of the All-Holy, blessed be He! This is the reason why the prophet disclosed to them all that he saw.
וְתָנִינָן בְּכָל אֲתָר דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל גָּלוּ, תַּמָן שְׁכִינְתָּא גָּלְתָה עִמְהוֹן, וְהָכָא בְּגָלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם מַה כְּתִיב, וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ'. כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִּיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מַהוּ אֵת יַעֲקֹב, הַבָּאִים אִתּוֹ אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵימָר. אֶלָּא, אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן רְתִיכִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין, דְּנַחְתּוּ עִם יַעֲקֹב, בַּהֲדֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא, בְּגָלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם
We have been taught that wherever Israel went into captivity the Shekinah went with her. We learn this in the present instance from the expression “children of [the supernal] Israel”, which we take here to refer to the heavenly hosts and chariots, which, we are told, “came with Jacob to Egypt”.’