לך ה' הצדקה ולנו בושת הפנים כיום הזה לאיש יהודה וגו' (דניאל ט ז), אמר ר' יהודה בר אלעאי עבודה זרה עברה עם ישראל בים, שנאמר ועבר בים צרה (זכריה י יא), ואין צרה אלא עבודה זרה, שנאמר והמסכה צרה כהתכנס (ישעיה כח כ), והים נקרע לפניהם, הוי לך ה' הצדקה. אמר ר' יודן כתיב ויעלו בית יוסף גם הם בית אל וה' עמם (שופטים א כב), הולכים לעבוד עבודה זרה, [ואת אמר] וה' עמם, הוי לך ה' הצדקה. ר' יהודה ב"ר סימון אמר (והם) [והמה] לקחו את אשר עשה מיכה (שם יח כז), [זה] צלמניא, ואת הכהן אשר היה לו (שם), [זה] כומרא, ויבואו (אל) [על] ליש וגו' (שם), עובדין עבודה זרה והיא מצלחת בידיהן, ולא עוד אלא שנטלו ממנו והקריבו לע"ז, שנאמר ולחמי אשר נתתי לך סולת ושמן ודבש האכלתיך ונתתיהו לפניהם לריח ניחוח ויהי נאם ה' (יחזקאל טז יט), מהו ויהי, אמר ר' יודן כמה דאת אמר ויהי למחר ואעפ"כ ומנך לא מנעת מפיהם (נחמיה ט כ), הוי לך ה' הצדקה.
(Dan. 9:7:) WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT THERE IS A SHAMEFUL FACE WITH US, TO THIS VERY DAY, WITH THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH <AND THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM, WITH ALL ISRAEL>…. R. Judah bar Il'ay said:37Tanh., Deut. 4:16; PRK 10:8; see M. Pss. 101:2. An idol ('avodah zarah) crossed the sea along with Israel, as stated (in Zech. 10:11): A RIVAL WIFE (tsarah)38The midrash understands tsarah in this sense, although most biblical translations follow the other meaning of tsarah, i.e., “affliction,” distress,” or the like. So also above, Numb. 4a:7. SHALL CROSS IN THE SEA. Tsarah can only mean an idolatrous work, since it is stated (in Is. 28:20): AND THE MOLTEN IMAGE WAS A RIVAL WIFE AS WHEN ONE GATHERS ONESELF (in the same bed).39Most translations render the passage quite differently, but what is given here better fits the sense of the midrash. See Sanh. 103b; Lev. R. 17:7. So the sea was rent asunder before them. Ergo (in Dan. 9:7): WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS. R. Judan said: It is written (in Jud. 1:22): THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH, FOR THEIR PART, WENT UP AGAINST BETHEL, AND THE LORD WAS WITH THEM. They were going to serve an idol, [yet you say:] AND THE LORD WAS WITH THEM. Ergo (in Dan. 9:7): WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS. R. Judah b. R. Simon said: (Jud. 18:27): THEY TOOK THAT WHICH MICAH HAD MADE, [i.e.,] the idol images, AND THE PRIEST THAT HE HAD, [i.e.,] the idolatrous priest, AND CAME {UNTO} [TO] LAISH…. They conducted an idolatrous worship, and it brought them luck.40Cf. M. Pss. 3:3. And not only that, but they took some of the manna and offered it to idols, as stated (in Ezek. 16:19): ALSO MY BREAD, WHICH I GAVE YOU, FINE FLOUR, OIL, AND HONEY WHICH I HAD YOU EAT, YOU SET IT BEFORE THEM AS A PLEASING ODOR; AND SO IT WAS, SAYS THE LORD. What is the meaning of AND SO IT WAS (wayehi)? R. Judan said: It is just as you say: And it came to pass (wayehi) on the morrow, nevertheless (in Neh. 9:20): AND YOU DID NOT WITHHOLD YOUR MANNA FROM THEIR MOUTH. Ergo (in Dan. 9:7): WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
לך ה' הצדקה ולנו בושת הפנים כיום הזה לאיש יהודה וגו' (דניאל ט ז), אמר ר' יהודה בר אלעאי עבודה זרה עברה עם ישראל בים, שנאמר ועבר בים צרה (זכריה י יא), ואין צרה אלא עבודה זרה, שנאמר והמסכה צרה כהתכנס (ישעיה כח כ), והים נקרע לפניהם, הוי לך ה' הצדקה. אמר ר' יודן כתיב ויעלו בית יוסף גם הם בית אל וה' עמם (שופטים א כב), הולכים לעבוד עבודה זרה, [ואת אמר] וה' עמם, הוי לך ה' הצדקה. ר' יהודה ב"ר סימון אמר (והם) [והמה] לקחו את אשר עשה מיכה (שם יח כז), [זה] צלמניא, ואת הכהן אשר היה לו (שם), [זה] כומרא, ויבואו (אל) [על] ליש וגו' (שם), עובדין עבודה זרה והיא מצלחת בידיהן, ולא עוד אלא שנטלו ממנו והקריבו לע"ז, שנאמר ולחמי אשר נתתי לך סולת ושמן ודבש האכלתיך ונתתיהו לפניהם לריח ניחוח ויהי נאם ה' (יחזקאל טז יט), מהו ויהי, אמר ר' יודן כמה דאת אמר ויהי למחר ואעפ"כ ומנך לא מנעת מפיהם (נחמיה ט כ), הוי לך ה' הצדקה.
(Dan. 9:7:) WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT THERE IS A SHAMEFUL FACE WITH US, TO THIS VERY DAY, WITH THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH <AND THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM, WITH ALL ISRAEL>…. R. Judah bar Il'ay said:37Tanh., Deut. 4:16; PRK 10:8; see M. Pss. 101:2. An idol ('avodah zarah) crossed the sea along with Israel, as stated (in Zech. 10:11): A RIVAL WIFE (tsarah)38The midrash understands tsarah in this sense, although most biblical translations follow the other meaning of tsarah, i.e., “affliction,” distress,” or the like. So also above, Numb. 4a:7. SHALL CROSS IN THE SEA. Tsarah can only mean an idolatrous work, since it is stated (in Is. 28:20): AND THE MOLTEN IMAGE WAS A RIVAL WIFE AS WHEN ONE GATHERS ONESELF (in the same bed).39Most translations render the passage quite differently, but what is given here better fits the sense of the midrash. See Sanh. 103b; Lev. R. 17:7. So the sea was rent asunder before them. Ergo (in Dan. 9:7): WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS. R. Judan said: It is written (in Jud. 1:22): THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH, FOR THEIR PART, WENT UP AGAINST BETHEL, AND THE LORD WAS WITH THEM. They were going to serve an idol, [yet you say:] AND THE LORD WAS WITH THEM. Ergo (in Dan. 9:7): WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS. R. Judah b. R. Simon said: (Jud. 18:27): THEY TOOK THAT WHICH MICAH HAD MADE, [i.e.,] the idol images, AND THE PRIEST THAT HE HAD, [i.e.,] the idolatrous priest, AND CAME {UNTO} [TO] LAISH…. They conducted an idolatrous worship, and it brought them luck.40Cf. M. Pss. 3:3. And not only that, but they took some of the manna and offered it to idols, as stated (in Ezek. 16:19): ALSO MY BREAD, WHICH I GAVE YOU, FINE FLOUR, OIL, AND HONEY WHICH I HAD YOU EAT, YOU SET IT BEFORE THEM AS A PLEASING ODOR; AND SO IT WAS, SAYS THE LORD. What is the meaning of AND SO IT WAS (wayehi)? R. Judan said: It is just as you say: And it came to pass (wayehi) on the morrow, nevertheless (in Neh. 9:20): AND YOU DID NOT WITHHOLD YOUR MANNA FROM THEIR MOUTH. Ergo (in Dan. 9:7): WITH YOU, O LORD, THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS.