19a (י״ט:א׳)

Then they shall make within her the towers of which we spoke (וְאָז יַעֲשׂוּ בָהּ הַמִּגְדָּלוֹת שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), and there shall be greatness and rest (וְיִהְיֶה גְּדוּלָּה וּמְנוּחָה) for Yisrael (לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And it is said concerning that day (וְנֶאֱמַר עַל זֶה הַיּוֹם) that was stated above (שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה): “On the day that He speaks within her” (בְּיוֹם שֶׁיְדַבֵּר בָּהּ) – “For great is the day of Yizre’el” (כִּי גָדוֹל יוֹם יִזְרְעֶאל), meaning (יִרְצֶה), great shall be the day (שֶׁגָּדוֹל יִהְיֶה הַיּוֹם) that the Divine shall sow (שֶׁיִּזְרַע הָאֵל). And what is the seed that He shall sow? (וּמַהוּ הַזֶּרַע שֶׁיִּזְרַע) His Divine spirit (הָרוּחַ אֱלֹהִי שֶׁלוֹ) which He shall sow upon the seed of David (שֶׁיִּזְרַע עַל זֶרַע דָּוִד), as it is said (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר): “And the spirit of Hashem shall rest upon him” etc (וְנָחָה עָלָיו רוּחַ יְהוָה וְגוֹ'), this shall be done with the measure of El (שֶׁזֶּה יַעֲשֶׂה בְּמִדַּת אֵל) to establish the seed of Avraham (לְהָקִים זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם), for the attribute of Chesed is his (שֶׁמִּדַּת חֶסֶד הִיא שֶׁלוֹ), which is El (שֶׁהִיא אֵל), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “I am El Shaddai” (אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי).

And it says (וְאוֹמֵר): “And He performs Chesed for His anointed, for David and his seed forever” (וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְדָוִד וּלְזַרְעוֹ עַד עוֹלָם), for from this attribute of Chesed (שֶׁמִּצַּד זוֹ הַמִּדָּה שֶׁל חֶסֶד) this Divine spirit shall rest (יִשְׁרֶה זֶה הָרוּחַ אֱלֹהִי) upon the seed of David (עַל זֶרַע דָּוִד), and the day hinted at in his saying (וְהַיּוֹם שֶׁרָמַז בְּאָמְרוֹ) “for great is the day of Yizre’el” (כִּי גָדוֹל יוֹם יִזְרְעֶאל), is the one about which it is said (הוּא שֶׁאָמַר עָלָיו): “On the day that He speaks within her” (בְּיוֹם שֶׁיְדַבֵּר בָּהּ), when all the nations shall speak and marvel (שֶׁיְדַבְּרוּ וְיִתְמָהוּ כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת) at the greatness and elevation (מֵהַגְּדוּלָּה וְהַמַּעֲלָה) that shall be given to King David (שֶׁיִּנָּתֵן לְמֶלֶךְ דָּוִד) from the side of the Torah (מִצַּד הַתּוֹרָה). And the throne shall be uplifted (וְהַכִּסֵּא יִתְרוֹמֵם) due to the establishment of the kingdom of the house of David (מִצַּד הֱיוֹת נָכוֹן מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד), for due to the Divine spirit (כִּי מִצַּד הָרוּחַ הָאֱלֹהִי) which we said shall rest upon him (שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁיִּשְׁרֶה עָלָיו), it is said of him (נֶאֱמַר עָלָיו): “Behold, My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and be very high” (הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי יָרוּם וְנִשָּׂא וְגָבַהּ מְאֹד).

And afterward it says (וְאָמַר אַחַר כָּךְ): “As many were astonished at you, so marred was his appearance more than any man” (כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמְמוּ עָלֶיךָ רַבִּים כֵּן מְשֻׁחַת מֵאִישׁ מַרְאֵהוּ), and here there is an etnach (pause) (וְכָאן יֵשׁ אֶתְנַח). It means (יִרְצֶה): why were many astonished at you and because of you? (לָמָּה שָׁמְמוּ עָלֶיךָ וּבִסִבָּתְךָ רַבִּים) Because his appearance was marred more than that of a man (לְפִי שֶׁמְּשֻׁחַת מֵאִישׁ מַרְאֵהוּ).

It means (יִרְצֶה): that by appearance alone he would wage war (שֶׁבְּמַרְאֶה לְבַד הָיָה נִלְחָם), and he had no need for weapons (שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לִכְלֵי זַיִן), as it is written (כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב): “And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked” (וּבְרוּחַ שְׂפָתָיו יָמִית רָשָׁע), that is to say (כְּלוֹמַר): the destruction of the people (הַשְׁחָתַת הָאֲנָשִׁים) shall be accomplished by his appearance alone (יַעֲשֶׂה בְּמַרְאֵהוּ לְבַד). And he explained in what his power is great to do this (וּבֵיאֵר בַּמֶּה כֹּחוֹ גָדוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת זֶה), and he said (וְאָמַר): Because “his form is from [that of] men” (לְפִי שֶׁ״תַּאֲרוֹ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם), as it is said in Daniel (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּדָנִיֵּאל): “And four great beasts came up from the sea, different one from another” (וְאַרְבַּע חֵיוָן רַבְרְבָן סַלְקָן מִן יַמָּא שְׁנִין דָּא מִן דָּא), where he mentions four beasts (שֶׁמַּזְכִּיר ד׳ חַיּוֹת) that are likened to the kings of the nations (שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ לְדִי מַלְכֵי הָאֻמּוֹת), and he said (וְאָמַר): “In the vision of the night… there emerged from the great sea” (בְּחֶזוּי עִם לֵילְיָא [וְכוּ׳] מְגִיחַן לִימָּא רַבָּא), to make known how the nations have neither light nor elevation nor exaltation (לְהוֹדִיעַ אֵיךְ לָאֻמּוֹת אֵין לָהֶם לֹא אוֹר וְלֹא רוֹמְמוּת וְהִתְנַשְּׂאוּת), and therefore he mentioned night and sea (וְלָכֵן הִזְכִּיר לַיְלָה וְיָם), which is deep (שֶׁהוּא עָמוֹק), and they have not the form of a man (וְאֵין לָהֶם דְּמוּת אָדָם) but the form of beasts (אֶלָּא דְּמוּת חַיּוֹת).

But when he speaks about the kingdom of David (וּכְשֶׁמְּדַבֵּר בְּמַלְכוּת דָּוִד), he says: “with the clouds of heaven” (אָמַר ״עִם עֲנָנֵי שְׁמַיָּא), which hints to exaltation (שֶׁרוֹמֵז רוֹמְמוּת), and he said: “like a son of man” (וְאָמַר "כְּבַר אֱנָשׁ), that he likened him to a man (שֶׁהִמְשִׁילוֹ לְאָדָם). And just as it says afterward (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר אַחַר כָּךְ): how they brought him near before Him, may He be blessed (אֵיךְ הִקְרִיבוּהוּ לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ), and He gave him kingship and everlasting dominion (וְנָתַן לוֹ מַלְכוּת וּמֶמְשָׁלָה נִצְחִית), so is the son of David destined to be brought near before Hashem (שֶׁעָתִיד בֶּן דָּוִד לִהְיוֹת נִקְרָב לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ), as it is said: “For great is the day of Yizre’el” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר ״כִּי גָדוֹל יוֹם יִזְרְעֶאל), which refers to that day (שֶׁאוֹמֵר עַל אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם) when he will be brought near before Him, may He be blessed (שֶׁיַּקְרִיבוּהוּ לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ), so that the Divine spirit shall be sown within him (לִהְיוֹת נִזְרַע בּוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִי), so that from that moment onward it shall be known (לְשֶׁיִּוָּדַע מִשָּׁם וָהָלְאָה) how Yisrael are called “children of the living El” (אֵיךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם נִקְרָאִים בְּנֵי אֵל חָי), and that shall be nullified which was said about them (וְיִתְבַּטֵּל מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר עֲלֵיהֶם): “And I will set her as a dry land and slay her with thirst” (וְשַׁתִּיהָ כְּאֶרֶץ צִיָּה וְהֲמִתִּיהָ בַּצָּמָא), for this thirst mentioned in the Torah (שֶׁזֹּאת הַצָּמָא שֶׁנֶּאֱמְרָה בַּתּוֹרָה) shall no longer be said of King David (לֹא יֵאָמֵר עַל דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ) after he has been brought near before Him, may He be blessed (אַחֲרֵי שֶׁהִקְרִיבוּהוּ לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ), as he himself said (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ): “My soul thirsts for Elohim, for the living El” etc (צָמְאָה נַפְשִׁי לֵאלֹהִים לְאֵל חָי וְגוֹ) – David said (אָמַר דָּוִד): Since my kingship shall be established when they bring me before Him, may He be blessed (כֵּיוָן שֶׁמַלְכוּתִי יִהְיֶה נָכוֹן כְּשֶׁיַּקְרִיבוּ אוֹתִי לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ), and it will be in this attribute of the Living El (וִיהִי בְּזוֹ הַמִּדָּה שֶׁל אֵל חָי), I yearn (אֲנִי מִתְאַוֶּה): When will that day come that I shall appear before Elohim? (מָתַי יָבוֹא אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שֶׁאֵרָאֶה לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהִים), so that it shall be said of Yisrael (לִשֶּׁיֵּאָמֵר עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל) “children of the Living El” (בְּנֵי אֵל חָי), and the nations shall no longer say (וְלֹא יֹאמְרוּ עוֹד הָאֻמּוֹת): “Where is your God?” (אַיֵּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ). “For great is the day of Yizre’el” (כִּי גָדוֹל יוֹם יִזְרְעֶאל), as we have said (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), that it is the day when he shall be brought near before Him, may He be blessed (שֶׁהוּא הַיּוֹם שֶׁיַּקְרִיבוּהוּ לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ), to give him power to slay by the sight of his eyes (לָתֵת לוֹ כֹּחַ שֶׁיָּמִית בְּמַרְאֵה עֵינָיו), and it shall be revealed and known (וְיִתְפַּרְסֵם וְיִוָּדַע): “For his appearance was marred more than a man’s” (כִּי מְשֻׁחַת מֵאִישׁ מַרְאֵהוּ).

And why? (וְלָמָּה) Because “his form is from [that of] men” (לְפִי שֶׁ"תַּאֲרוֹ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם), as I said above (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לְמַעְלָה). And afterward he said: “So shall he sprinkle many nations” etc (וְאָמַר אַחַר כָּךְ ״כֵּן יַזֶּה גּוֹיִם רַבִּים״ וְגוֹ'), and then Yisrael will be able to say (וְאָז יוּכַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לוֹמַר): “Who has believed our report, and upon whom has the arm of Hashem been revealed?” (מִי הֶאֱמִין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵנוּ וּזְרוֹעַ ה׳ עַל מִי נִגְלָתָה). And from what aspect will Yisrael be astonished? (וּמַאי זֶה צַד יִתְמַהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל) Because they will not believe that within them was the merit (לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא יַאֲמִינוּ שֶׁבָּהֶם הָיָה זְכוּת) for the arm of Hashem to be revealed upon the son of David (לִשֶּׁזְּרוֹעַ ה׳ יִיגָּלֶה עַל בֶּן דָּוִד). And The Holy One Blessed Be He (וְהקב״ה), even though there will not be merit in Yisrael (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה זְכוּת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), He will act for the sake of His Name (הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ), as it is said: “And He saw that there was no man, and He was astonished that there was no intercessor, and His arm brought salvation for Him” etc (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר ״וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵם כִּי אֵין מַפְגִּיעַ וַתּוֹשַׁע לוֹ זְרוֹעוֹ״ וְגוֹ).

And afterward he said: “And he shall rise as a sapling before Him” (וְאָמַר אַחַר כָּךְ ״וַיַּעַל כַּיּוֹנֵק לְפָנָיו), the intention being (הַכַּוָּנָה): that David shall ascend before The Holy One Blessed Be He, as I said (שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה דָּוִד לִפְנֵי הקב״ה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי). And he said: “And as a root out of dry land” (וְאָמַר ״וְכַשֹּׁרֶשׁ מֵאֶרֶץ צִיָּה), to allude that even though it was said: “And I shall set her as a dry land and slay her with thirst” (לְרַמֵּז שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְשַׁתִּהָ כְּאֶרֶץ צִיָּה וְהֲמִתִּיהָ בַּצָּמָא), nonetheless he shall rise before Him, may He be blessed (עִם כָּל זֶה הוּא יַעֲלֶה לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ). “There is no form to him” (לֹא תֹאַר לוֹ), meaning (יִרְצֶה): do not think that because we said of him (לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ עָלָיו): “And his form is from [that of] men” (וְתֹאַרוֹ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם), that he is equal to us and his form is like ours (שֶׁהוּא שָׁוֶה אֵלֵינוּ וּתֹאַרוֹ כְּתוֹאַרֵנוּ).