וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן. מַה כְּתִיב לְמַעְלָה מִן הָעִנְיָן, לֹא מֵרֻבְּכֶם מִכָּל הָעַמִּים חָשַׁק ה' בָּכֶם וְגוֹ' (שם ז, ז), לֹא מִמַּה שֶּׁאַתֶּם מְרֻבִּים מִכָּל הָאֻמּוֹת, וְלֹא מִמַּה שֶּׁאַתֶּם עוֹשִׂין מִצְוָה יוֹתֵר מֵהֶם. שֶׁהָאֻמּוֹת עוֹשִׂין מִצְוָה שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַוּוּ יוֹתֵר מִכֶּם, וְהֵם מַגְדִּילִים שְׁמִי יוֹתֵר מִכֶּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי מִמִּזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ וְעַד מְבוֹאוֹ גָּדוֹל שְׁמִי בַּגּוֹיִם וְגוֹ' (מלאכי א, יא). וּכְתִיב: וְאַתֶּם מְחַלְּלִים אוֹתוֹ בֶּאֱמָרְכֶם שֻׁלְחַן ה' מְגֹאָל הוּא וְנִיבוֹ נִבְזֶה אָכְלוֹ (שם פסוק יב). כִּי אַתֶּם הַמְעַט (דברים ז, ז), אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת שֶׁאַתֶּם מְמַעֲטִין אֶת עַצְמְכֶם לְפָנַי, לְפִיכָךְ אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר ה' וְגוֹ', וְאֶת עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי וְגוֹ' (מלאכי, ב-ג). וְאוֹמֵר: אֶרְפָּא מְשׁוּבָתָם אוֹהֲבֵם נְדָבָה וְגוֹ' (הושע יד, ה), נָדְבָה נַפְשִׁי לְאַהֲבָתָן, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָן הֲגוּנִים. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, כִּי מֵאַהֲבַת ה' אֶתְכֶם וּמִשָּׁמְרוֹ אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה. כְּתִיב: וְהָיָה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים נָכוֹן יִהְיֶה הַר בֵּית ה' בְּרֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים וְנִשָּׂא מִגְּבָעוֹת וְגוֹ' (ישעיה ב, ב). זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: וְהָיָה רֵאשִׁיתְךָ מִצְעָר וְגוֹ' (איוב ח, ז), לְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁכָּל הַמִּצְטַעֵר בִּתְחִלָּתוֹ, נוֹחַ לוֹ בְּסוֹפוֹ. וְאֵין לְךָ שֶׁמִּצְטַעֵר מִתְּחִלָּתוֹ יוֹתֵר מֵאַבְרָהָם, שֶׁהֻשְׁלַךְ לַכִּבְשָׁן, וְגָלָה מִבֵּית אָבִיו, וְרָדְפוּ אַחֲרָיו שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר מְלָכִים, וְנִתְנַסָּה בְּעֶשֶׂר נִסְיוֹנוֹת, וְקָבַר אֶת שָׁרָה. וְלַסּוֹף נָח, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאַבְרָהָם זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים וַה' בֵּרַךְ וְגוֹ' (בראשית כד, א). וְכֵן יִצְחָק נִצְטַעֵר בְּנַעֲרוּתוֹ, וְקִנְּאוּ בוֹ פְּלִשְׁתִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ אֶל יִצְחָק לֵךְ מֵעִמָּנוּ וְגוֹ' (שם כו, טז). וּלְבַסּוֹף בִּקְּשׁוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם מַדּוּעַ בָּאתֶם אֵלַי וְגוֹ', וְיֹאמְרוּ רָאֹה רָאִינוּ וְגוֹ' (שם פסוק כז כח). וְיַעֲקֹב כַּמָּה נִצְטַעֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: רַבַּת צְרָרוּנִי מִנְּעוּרַי יֹאמַר נָא יִשְׂרָאֵל (תהלים קכט, א). עַד שֶׁהָיָה בִּמְעֵי אִמּוֹ, בִּקֵּשׁ עֵשָׂו לְהָרְגוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּתְרוֹצְצוּ הַבָּנִים (בראשית כה, כב). וּכְשֶׁקִּבֵּל הַבְּרָכוֹת, וַיִּשְׂטֹם עֵשָׂו אֶת יַעֲקֹב וַיֹּאמֶר עֵשָׂו בְּלִבּוֹ יִקְרְבוּ יְמֵי אֵבֶל אָבִי וְגוֹ' (שם כז, מא). בָּרַח לְלָבָן לְחָרָן וְנִצְטַעֵר בִּבְנוֹתָיו שֶׁל לָבָן, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן בִּקֵּשׁ לְהָרְגוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֲרַמִּי אוֹבֵד אָבִי (דברים כו, ה). יָצָא מֵאֶצְלוֹ וּפָגַע בְּעֵשָׂו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּשָּׂא יַעֲקֹב עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עֵשָׂו בָּא וְגוֹ' (בראשית לג, א). בָּאָה עָלָיו צָרַת דִּינָה, וְצָרַת רָחֵל, וְצָרַת יוֹסֵף. וְלַסּוֹף נָח, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְכַלְכֵּל יוֹסֵף אֶת אָבִיו וְאֶת אֶחָיו (שם מז, יב). הֱוֵי, וְהָיָה רֵאשִׁיתְךָ מִצְעָר וְאַחֲרִיתְךָ יִשְׂגֶּה מְאֹד (איוב ח, ז). דָּבָר אַחֵר, נָכוֹן יִהְיֶה הַר בֵּית ה' בְּרֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים, וְהַר תָּבוֹר יִהְיֶה גָּבֹהַּ מְאֹד. מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה. לִבְנֵי פַּלְטְרִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ שֶׁיָּרְדוּ מִן הָעִיר וְהָרְגוּ אֲרָיוֹת וְדֻבִּים וּנְמֵרִים בַּיַּעַר וֶהֱבִיאוּם לָעִיר וְתָלוּ אוֹתָן כְּנֶגֶד שַׁעַר הָעִיר, וְכָל בְּנֵי הָעִיר הָיוּ תְּמֵהִין מֵאוֹתָן אֲרָיוֹת. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּךְ עָשָׂה בְּסִיסְרָא, בָּא סִיסְרָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַר תָּבוֹר, מִן שָׁמַיִם נִלְחֲמוּ, הַכּוֹכָבִים מִמְּסִלּוֹתָם נִלְחֲמוּ עִם סִיסְרָא (שופטים ה, כ). הִתְחִילוּ הַכֹּל תְּמֵהִים, שֶׁמֵּעוֹלָם לֹא הָיָה כַּמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֶּה שֶׁיָּרְדוּ כּוֹכָבִים מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם לַעֲשׂוֹת מִלְחָמָה עִם בָּשָׂר וָדָם. וְאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הַכּוֹכָבִים נִלְחֲמוּ בִּשְׁבִילְכֶם. אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, וְיָצָא ה' וְנִלְחַם בַּגּוֹיִם וְגוֹ', וְעָמְדוּ רַגְלָיו בְּיוֹם הַהוּא וְגוֹ' (זכריה יד, ג-ד), וְכָל אוֹתוֹ עִנְיָן. וְיִהְיוּ הַכֹּל רוֹאִין וּמַרְאִין אוֹתוֹ בָּאֶצְבַּע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאָמַר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא הִנֵּה אֱלֹהֵינוּ זֶה וְגוֹ' (ישעיה כה, ט). (Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if you heed [these statutes].” What is written above the matter (in Deut. 7:7)? “It is not because you are the most numerous of all the peoples [that the Lord desired you and chose you. Rather you are the least of all the peoples].” It is not because you are the most numerous of all the nations,” and it was not because you fulfilled more commandments than they; for the nations do more commandments that they were not commanded than you, and they magnify My name more than you. Thus it is stated (in Mal. 1:11-12), “For from the rising of the sun until its setting My name is great among the nations, [and in every place incense is offered to My name, even a pure oblation; for My name is great among the nations]…. But you desecrate it when you say the table of the Lord is defiled, and its special food is treated with scorn [like ordinary] food.” (Deut. 7:7:) “Rather you were the least of all the peoples.” Rather, because you diminish yourselves for Me, therefore I love you.’ And so it says (in Mal. 1:2-3), “’I have loved you,’ says the Lord …. ‘But I have hated Esau….’” It also says (in Hos. 14:5), “I will heal their veering and love them voluntarily….” My soul has volunteered to love them, even though they were not worthy; and so it says (in Deut. 7:8), “Because the Lord loves you […].” It is written (in Is. 2:2), “And it shall come to pass that in the latter days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains….” This text is related (to Job 8:7), “Though your beginning was trifling (rt.: ts'r), [your end shall greatly flourish].” [This verse is here] to teach you that everyone who is troubled (rt.: ts'r) from his beginning will have it well at his end. You have no one who was more troubled (rt.: ts'r) than Abraham, who was cast into a fiery furnace and went into exile from his ancestral home. Moreover, sixteen kings pursued him. He also stood the test of ten trials and buried Sarah. Yet in the end he had rest, as stated (Gen. 24:1), “Now Abraham was old, advanced in years, and the Lord blessed [Abraham in all things].” So too was Isaac troubled (rt.: ts'r) in his youth, for the Philistines were jealous of him, [as stated] (in Gen. 26:16), “And Abimelech said unto Isaac, ‘Go away from us, [for you have become have become too powerful for us].’” But in the end they begged him [for mercy], as stated (in vs. 27-28), “And Isaac said unto them, ‘Why have you come unto me…?’ And they said, ‘We have clearly seen….’” Jacob also was troubled (rt.: ts'r) in his youth, as stated (in Ps. 129:1), “’They have harassed me greatly from my youth,’ let Israel now say.” While he was in his mother’s belly, Esau sought to kill him, as stated (in Gen. 25:22), “But the children struggled [within her].” [Moreover,] when he received the blessings (according to Gen. 27:41), “Then Esau hated Jacob …, and Esau said in his heart, ‘Let the days of mourning for my father come, [and I will kill my brother Jacob]’.” So he fled to Laban and was troubled (rt.: ts'r) over his daughters, and after that Laban sought to kill him, as stated (in Deut. 26:5), “An Aramean would have destroyed my ancestor.”9This is required sense by the midrash. A more usual translation would read: A WANDERING ARAMEAN WAS MY ANCESTOR. He went away from him and encountered Esau, as stated (in Gen. 33:1), “Now Jacob raised his eyes and saw Esau coming….” There came upon him the trouble over Dinah, the trouble over Rachel and the trouble over Joseph. But in the end he had rest, [as stated] (in Gen. 47:12), “And Joseph sustained his father [and his brothers]….” Ergo (in Job 8:7), “Though your beginning was trifling (rt.: ts'r), your end shall greatly flourish.” Another interpretation (of Is. 2:2), “the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains… and Mount Tabor shall become very tall.” A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To the palace10Palterin. Gk.: praitorion; Lat. praetorium. children of a king. They went down from the city and killed lions, tigers, and bears in the forest. Then they brought them and hung them opposite the city gate, so that all the people in the city were amazed from those lions. The Holy One, blessed be he, did so with Sisera. [When] Sisera came against Israel on Mount Tabor; (according to Jud. 5:20), “The stars fought from the heavens; from their courses they fought with Sisera.”11Cf. Pes. 118b, according to which the stars descended and heated the iron implements in Sisera’s army. All began to be amazed, for there had never been an event like this, when the stars came down from the heavens to make war with flesh and blood. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world the stars have fought on your behalf, but in the world to come (according to Zech. 14:3-4), ‘Then the Lord will come forth and fight with those nations [as when He fights in the day of battle]. And His feet shall stand in that day [upon the Mount of Olives]….’ And [so on through] all that section (of Zechariah).” Then everyone will see and point Him out with the finger, as stated (in Is. 25:9), “In that day they shall say, ‘See, this is our God; [we waited for Him, and He delivered us. This is the Lord; we waited for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation].’”