Opening materialChapter 7, Section 4 (פֶּרֶק ז׳ אוֹת ד׳)

Chapter 7, Section 4 (פֶּרֶק ז׳ אוֹת ד׳)

4. Rabbi Yishma’el said (ד אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל): what did the heavenly court do at that moment? (מָה עָשׂוּ בֵּית דִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה) They commanded the destructive angels (צִוּוּ לְמַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה), and they descended and acted upon Lupinus Caesar (וְיָרְדוּ וְעָשׂוּ עַל לוּפִינוּס קֵיסָר), and the decree was sealed (וְנֶחְרְצָה), and not a remnant or survivor remained (וְלֹא נִשְׁתַּיֵּר בּוֹ כָּל שָׂרִיד וּפָלִיט). And Raphah, the wife of his youth (וְרָפָה אֵשֶׁת נְעוּרָיו), and all his mothers and concubines (וְכָל אִמּוֹתָיו וּפִילַגְשָׁיו), were stricken and cast down before him (הָיוּ טְרוּפִין וּמוּטָּלִין לְפָנָיו), all his sons and household (כָּל בָּנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵיתוֹ), and all the desires of his eyes (וְכָל מַחְמַדֵּי עֵינָיו).