Jerusalem Anthology - Hezekiah and Jerusalem

“To him who increases the authority, and for peace without end…” (Isaiah 9:6) R’ Tanchum said: Bar Kappar expounded in Tzippori ‘why is every letter mem which is located in the middle of a word open at the bottom, and the one in this verse is closed? The Holy One wanted to make Hezekiah the Messiah and Sancheriv Gog and Magog. But the aspect of judgment said before the Holy One: Master of the World! You did not make David, who said before You many songs and praises, the Messiah. Will you then make Hezekiah, for whom You did all these miracles and who did not sing before, into the Messiah?! Therefore it was sealed.

Our rabbis taught: Hezekiah the King did six things. For three of them they praised him and for three they did not. For three they praised him: he hid away the Book of Healing – they praised him. He ground up the bronze snake – they praised him. He dragged the bones of his father on a bed of roped – they praised him. For three things they did not praise him: he sealed up the waters of the Gihon spring – they did not praise him. He cut off the doors of the Temple and sent them to the king of Assyria – they did not praise him. He intercalated the month of Nisan in Nisan – they did not praise him.

Another explanation. “It came to pass at midnight…” (Exodus 12:29) David said “I recall my music at night…” (Psalms 77:7) Knesset Israel said: I recall the pieces into which you used to star my enemies at night, and ‘music’ is indicative of breaking as it says “…I am their song,” (Lamentations 3:63)and it says “…Who has delivered your adversaries into your hand.” (Genesis 14:20) Sancheriv came upon us and You shattered him at night, as it says “And it came to pass on that night that an angel of the Lord went out and slew one hundred eighty-five thousand of the camp of Assyria.” (Kings II 19:35) R’ Nechemia said: come and see the love of the Holy One for Israel! The ministering angels, who are mighty in strength to do His word, were made by the Holy One to be the guardians of Israel. Who are they? Micha’el and Gavri’el, as it says “On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen…” (Isaiah 62:6) When Sancheriv came, Micha’el went out and struck them and Gavri’el saved Hananyah and his friends at the command of the Holy One. Why was this? When the Holy One went down to save Avraham from the fiery furnace, He made an agreement with them. Micha’el and Gavri’el said before Him: we will go down and save him. He said to them: if he had gone into the furnace for your name’s sake then you could save him, but he went in for My sake and I will go down to save him, as it says “I am the Lord, Who brought you forth from Ur of the Chaldees…” (Bereshit 15:7) But I will give you a time when you can do so since you wanted to save him for My name’s sake. Micha’el you will descend on the camp of Assyria and Gavri’el you will descend on the camp of the Chaldeans When Gavri’el went down to save Hananyah, Mishael and Azaryah he made a decree on the fire and it burst out on those who had thrown them in, as it says “…these men who had brought up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego…” (Daniel 3:22) There are those who say that four nations died there. First it is written “Then, the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers…” (Daniel 3:3) and here it is written lacking four, as it says “And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the leaders…” (Daniel 3:27) Therefore Hananyah said “Praise the Lord, all nations…” (Psalms 117:1) Mishael said “…laud Him, all peoples.” (ibid.) And Azaryah said “For His kindness has overwhelmed us…” (Psalms 117:2) The angel said “…and the truth of the Lord is eternal.” (ibid.) It is true what He said to me when I wanted to go down and save Avraham. And so too Micha’el did what he was told, as it says “And it came to pass on that night that an angel of the Lord went out…” (Kings II 19:35) It was taught: all the soldiers and the commanders were drinking wine and they left the bottles tossed aside. The Holy One said to Sancheriv: you did yours, as it says “Through your messengers you have insulted the Lord…” (Kings II 19:23) So to I will acta the hand of my messenger. What did he do to him? “…and in the place of honor, a burning shall burn like the burning of fire.” (Isaiah 10:16) And what does ‘in the place of honor’ mean? That he burnt their bodies from within and left their clothes untouched because the clothing of a man is his honor. Why did he leave their clothes? Because they were the descendants of Shem, as it says “The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur…” (Genesis 10:22) The Holy One said: I am obligated to their father Shem because he and Yafet took their clothes and covered the nakedness of their father, as it says “And Shem and Japheth took the garment…” (Genesis 9:23) Therefore the Holy One said to Micha’el: leave their clothes and burn their souls, and what is written there? “And they arose in the morning, and behold they were all dead corpses.” (Kings II 19:35) This is what is written “Betimes I cut down all the wicked of the earth…” (Psalms 101:8) Hezekiah and Israel were sitting and saying Hallel because it was the night of Passover. They were afraid to say ‘now Jerusalem is conquered by his hand.’ When they got up in the morning to say the shema and to pray they found the dead bodies of their enemies. Therefore the Holy One said to Isaiah “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz (to hasten loot, speed the spoils)” (Isaiah 8:3) and he hurried to loot their spoils. And call one ‘God is with us’ (Immanuel) to say that I am with him, as it says “With him is an arm of flesh, and with us is the Lord our God…” (Chronicles II 32:8) Just as the Holy One did in this world through the hands of Micha’el and Gavri’el, so to in the time to come he will do through their hands, as it says “And saviors shall ascend Mt. Zion to judge the mountain of Esau…” (Ovadiah 1:21) This refers to Micha’el and Gavri’el. Our Holy rabbi said: this is Micha’el himself, as it says “Now at that time, Michael, the great prince, who stands over the children of your people, will be silent…” (Daniel 12:1) He pleads the needs of Israel and speaks on their behalf, as it says “And the angel of the Lord replied and said, "O Lord of Hosts! How long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and upon the cities of Judah…” (Zechariah 1:12) And it says”… but no one strengthens himself concerning these matters except Michael, your prince.” (Daniel 10:21)

R’ Yodan said: before Hezekiah and his supporters had eaten their Passover sacrifice in Jerusalem, the Holy One had already preceded them on that night, as it says “And it came to pass on that night that an angel of the Lord went out and slew one hundred eighty-five thousand of the camp of Assyria…” (Kings II 19:35)

“The kings of the earth did not believe, nor all the inhabitants of the world, that a foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.” (Lamentations 4:12) There were four kings, and each one demanded what the others did not demand. They are David, Asa, Yehoshafat and Hezekiah. Regarding David it says “I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them…” (Psalms 18:38) The Holy One said to him: I will do so. This is what is written “And David smote them from evening until evening to their morrow…” (Samuel I 30:17) What does ‘to their morrow’ mean? R’ Yehoshua ben Levi said: for two nights and one day. The Holy One lit up the night for him with shooting stars and lightning, as it is taught (Mishna Berachot 2:9) ‘on shooting stars, on earthquakes and on lightning.’ This is what is written “For You light my lamp…” (Psalms 18:29) Asa stood up and said: I do not have the strength to kill them, rather I will pursue them and You do the rest. This is what is written “And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them… for they were broken before the Lord and before His camp, and they carried away very much spoils.” (Chronicles II 14:12) It is not written ‘before Asa’ but rather ‘before the Lord and before His camp.’ Yehoshafat stood up and said: I have no strength to kill or to pursue, rather I will sing a song and You do the rest. The Holy One said to him: I will do so, as it says “And at the time they commenced with song and praise…” (Chronicles II 20:22) Hezekiah stood up and said: I have no strength to kill, or to pursue or to sing a song, rather I will sleep on my bed and You do the rest. The Holy One said to him: I will do so, as it says “And it came to pass on that night that an angel of the Lord went out and slew one hundred eighty-five thousand of the camp of Assyria…” (Kings II 19:35)

“Glorious things are said about you, the city of God, forever.” (Psalms 87:3) This refers to Hezekiah, as it says “…and how he made the conduit and the pool, and he brought the water into the city…” (Kings II 20:20) Hezekiah sealed up the waters of the Gihon spring and it says ‘he brought the water into the city’ because he was a collector of traditions and this verse is actually referring to words of Torah, which are compared to water, as it says “Ho! All who thirst, go to water…” (Isaiah 55:1) It also says “Come, partake of my bread…” (Proverbs 9:5) What would Hezekiah do? When he saw that it was well ordered, he brought it to the city; that it was well taught, he brought it to the city. This is what is written “These too are Solomon's proverbs, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, maintained.” (Proverbs 25:1) Another explanation. ““Glorious things are said about you…” (Psalms 87:3) R’ Huna said in the name of R’ Idi: why did Israel express Gd’s name explicitly in the Holy Temple and use a cognomen outside of the Temple bounds? Because it is written “…to fear this glorious and awesome name, the Lord, your God.” (Deuteronomy 28:58) This is ‘glorious things are said about you.’ And where is it said? In the city of God, in the city of Zion. And where? “…the city of God, forever.” (Psalms 87:3)

It was taught that R’ Eliezer says: the waters of Egypt were turned to blood on the fifth day of the week. On that very day our ancestors left Egypt, on that very day the waters of the Jordan stood still before the ark of the Lord, on that very day Hezekiah blocked up all of the springs. Yonah fled before God on the fifth day of the week. And why did he flee? Because the first time God sent him to bring the cities of Israel to repentance and his words succeeded, as it says ‘he brought back the cities of Israel.’ The second time Gd sent him against Jerusalem to destroy it. Since they repented the Holy One acted out of the abundance of His mercy, regretted the evil and did not destroy it. Then they called him a false prophet. The third time God sent him against Nineveh to destroy it. Yonah took counsel with himself and said: I know that the nations are easily moved to repentance and my anger will be disposed of on Israel. It is not enough that Israel calls me a false prophet, should even the nations call me so?! I will flee to a place where His glory is not found. This is like a king of flesh and blood whose wife died while she was nursing and he sought a wet nurse to nurse his son. What did he do? He called to his wet nurse to nurse his son that he not die of hunger. What did the king’s wet nurse do? She left his son and fled. When the king saw that this was so he sent out a message to seize her and detain her in prison and to lower her down into a place with snakes and scorpions. After a few days the king stood at the lip of the pit and she was weeping and crying out to him. The mercy of the king was awakened for her and he gave order that she be lifted out and returned before him. So too Yonah, since he fled from the Holy One he locked him up in the belly of the fish until he cried out before the Holy One and He brought him forth. He went down to Yaffo and found no ship on which to flee, because the ship was already two days out from Yaffo. What did the Holy One do? He brought a storm wind upon it and returned it to Yaffo. Yonah saw this and rejoiced greatly, saying: now I know that my path is smooth before me. He said to them: I will go with you. They said to him: we are going to the far islands of Tarshish. He replied: nonetheless! Out of Yonah’s great joy he paid them in advance, as it says “…paid its hire, and went down into it…” (Jonah 1:3) They set out to sea and a storm wind came against them from their left and their right. All the other boats were passing to and fro in peace and quiet while their ship was in great distress and looked as if it would founder. R’ Chanina says: there were representatives of all seventy languages on that boat, each one had his god in his hand and prostrating himself. They said: everyone call out to their god and the one who answers and saves is the true god. They called out and it did no good. In his distress and exhaustion, Yonah fell asleep. The captain of the ship came to him and said: we are hanging between life and death and you are sleeping! From what people are you? He replied: I am a Hebrew. He said to him: we have heard that your god is great. Get up and call to your god, maybe he will do for us like all the wonders that he did at the sea. He said to them: this distress is because of me. Lift me up and toss me into the sea. R’ Shimon said: they did not resolve to throw him into the sea until they drew lots and the lot fell out on Yonah. What did they do? They took all of the baggage from the ship and threw it into the sea in order to lighten their load, but it did not help. They wanted to return to land, but they were not able. They took Yonah and stood him on the edge of the ship, saying: Master of the World! Do not place upon us innocent blood, because we do not know what this man has done. They lowered his legs into the water and the sea calmed, they lifted him up and it raged again. They lowered him in to his belly and the sea calmed, they drew him back up to them and it raged again. They lowered him in to his neck and so on until they lowered him all the way, as it says “And they picked Jonah up and cast him into the sea…” (Jonah 1:15) R’ Meir says: the fish was appointed to swallow Yonah from the six days of creation, as it says “And the Lord appointed a huge fish…” (Jonah 2:1) He entered its mouth like a man who entered a great synagogue and his two eyes were like windows. He said – lanterns are giving light for Yonah. R’ Meir says: there was a pearl hanging in the belly of the fish which gave light for Yonah like the sun at its strength in the midday and Yonah saw all that was in the seas and in the depths. The fish said to Yonah: don’t you know that my day to be eaten by leviathan has arrived? He said to him: bring me to him and I will save both you and I from his mouth. The fish brought him to leviathan and he said: for you I descended, to see your dwelling place in the sea. Furthermore, in the future I will come down and put a rope around your head in order to make a feast out of your for the righteous. Yonah showed him the seal of our father Avraham (circumcision). Leviathan saw it and fled before him a distance of two days. Then Yonah said to the fish: I saved you from leviathan, now show me everything which is in the seas and the depth. It showed him the great river of the waters of the ocean as it says, “…and a river surrounded me…” (Jonah 2:4) It showed him the paths of the Red Sea through which Israel passed as it says, “…the weeds were wrapped about my head.” (Jonah 2:6) It showed him the place from which the waves of the sea come forth as it says, “…all Your breakers and waves passed over me.” (Jonah 2:4) It showed him the pillars of the earth on its base as it says, “…the earth with her bars closed on me forever…” (Jonah 2:7) It showed him the lowest part of the netherworld as it says, “…out of the belly of She’ol I cried…” (Jonah 2:3) It showed him Gehinnom as it says, “…yet you have brought up my life from the pit…” (Jonah 2:7) It showed him the palace of the Lord as it says, “I went down to the bottom of the mountains…” (Jonah 2:7) From here we learn that Jerusalem stands on seven mountains. And he saw there the foundation stone fixed in the deeps, and he saw there also the sons of Korach standing and praying for it. Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish without praying. The Holy One said: I made a broad space for him in the belly of a male fish in order that he not be distressed and he isn’t praying! I will prepare a fish that is pregnant with three hundred and sixty five thousands and tens of thousands of little fish in order that he be distressed and pray before me. This is because the Holy One desires the prayers of the righteous. In that hour the Holy One brought a pregnant fish and she said to the other fish: the Holy One sent me to swallow up the prophet who is in your belly. If you will spit him out, good. If not I will swallow you with him. He said to her: who knows if what you say is true? She replied: leviathan. They went to leviathan and she said to him: leviathan, king over all the fish of the sea! Do you not know that the Holy One sent me to this fish to swallow the prophet who is in his belly? He said to her: yes. The fish said to leviathan: when? He replied: in the last three hours, when the Holy One descends to play with me. Thus I heard. He immediately spit out Yonah. The female fish right away swallowed him and he was in great distress because of the confinement and the filth. He immediately focused his heart in prayer, as it says “And Jonah prayed to the Lord his God, from the belly of the fish.” (Jonah 2:2) He said: Masterof the World! Where can I go to escape Your spirit and to where can I flee from before You? “If I ascend to the heavens, there You are…” (Psalms 139:8) You are King over all kingdoms and Master over all rulers of the world. The high heavens are Your throne and the earth is Your footstool. Your kingdom is on high and Your dominion in the deeps, the actions of all humanity are revealed before You and the secrets of all men spread out before You. You search out the ways of all people and examine the footsteps of all living things. You know the hidden things of the kidneys and the secrets of the heart You understand. All which is hidden is revealed before You, there are no secrets before the throne of your glory and nothing shielded from Your eyes. You collect every secret and tell every single thing. You are there in every place, Your eyes see evil and good. I beseech You, answer me from the belly of Sheol and save me from the depths. Let me cry come into Your ears and fulfill my request because You sit far away and hear as if near. You are called the One who lifts up and casts down, please lift me up! You are called the One who kills and gives life, I have reached the point of death – revive me! He was not answered until he said this: that which I vowed to bring up leviathan and prepare him before them, I will fulfill on the day of Israel’s salvation. “But I-with a voice of thanks will I sacrifice to You…” (Jonah 2:10) Immediately the Holy One gestured to the fish and she vomited Yonah nine hundred and sixty eight parsa to dry land. The sailors saw all the signs and wonders which the Holy One did with Yonah and everyone threw away his god, as it says “Those who keep worthless futilities…” (Jonah 2:9) They returned to Yaffo, went up to Jerusalem and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins, as it says “And the men feared the Lord exceedingly…” (Jonah 1:16) And did they make sacrifices?! Rather they performed circumcision which is like the blood of sacrifice. Each man vowed his wife, children and all he had to the Gd of Yonah, and fulfilled his vow. Of them it says ‘and on the righteous converts.’