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This is the introduction to Dr. John Reeves translation of Tefillat Rabbi Shim’on b. Yoḥai from his article of the same name in Trajectories in Near Eastern Apocalyptic: A Postrabbinic Jewish Apocalypse Reader (2005):
The Prayer of R. Šim‘ōn ben Yoḥai (תְּפִלַּת ר׳ שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן־יוֹחַאי) poses as an expanded and updated version of the influential Secrets of R. Šim‘ōn ben Yoḥai.[1] Whereas Secrets appears to emerge from the turbulent period marking the transition from Umayyad to ‘Abbāsid suzerainty over Islamicate Jewry, Prayer contains clear references to events associated with the era of the Crusades. See Adolph Jellinek, ed., Bet ha-Midrasch: Sammlung kleiner Midraschim und vermischter Abhandlungen aus der jüdischen Literatur (6 vols.; Leipzig, 1853-77; repr., Jerusalem: Bamberger & Wahrmann, 1938), 4:viii-ix; Heinrich Graetz, Geschichte der Juden von den ältesten Zeiten bis auf die Gegenwart (3d ed.; 11 vols. in 13; Leipzig: Oskar Leiner, 1890-1908), 5:413. Its distinctive title stems from a superscription accompanying the text which refers in turn to a plaintive plea directed by the tannaitic Sage to God requesting revelatory answers concerning the time and manner of Israel’s redemption.[2] It seems doubtful that this is the genuine title. Note the opening words of the text below (‘secrets and revelations’); also Moritz Steinschneider, “Apokalypsen mit polemischer Tendenz,” ZDMG 28 (1874): 635. The work was first published in the nineteenth century by Adolph Jellinek from a privately owned manuscript in Mantua.[3] Jellinek, BHM 4:117-26. Jellinek’s text was in turn reproduced, emended, and supplemented by Yehudah Even-Shmuel in his comprehensive anthology of Jewish messianic literature.[4] Yehudah Even-Shmuel, Midreshey Ge’ullah (2d ed.; Jerusalem: Mosad Bialik, 1954), 268-86. The present translation is based on the version of the text published by Jellinek.[5] For discussion of this work, see Moses Buttenwieser, Outline of the Neo-Hebraic Apocalyptic Literature (Cincinnati: Jennings & Pye, 1901), 41. An important translation and study was prepared by Bernard Lewis, “An Apocalyptic Vision of Islamic History,” BSOAS 13 (1949-51): 308-38; its main arguments are accepted by Salo M. Baron, A Social and Religious History of the Jews (18 vols.; 2d ed.; New York and Philadelphia: Columbia University Press and the Jewish Publication Society, 1952-83), 3:93, 274 n.27.
| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
תְּפִלַּת רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן־יוֹחַאי |
Tefilat (prayer) of Rabbi Shimōn ben Yoḥai |
אֵלּוּ הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת וְהַנִּגְלות אֲשֶׁר נִגְלוּ לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. |
These are the secrets and revelations divulged to R. Shim‘on. |
הוּא רַ׳ שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן־יוֹחַאי שֶׁשִּׁגְרוּ אוֹתוֹ מִירוּשָׁלִַם לְרוֹמִי אֶל הַקֵּיסָר וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהָיָה בַסְּפִינָה נִתְרָאָה לוֹ בַחֲלוֹם אַשְׁמְדַאי שַׂר הַשֵּׁדִים וְאָמַר לוֹ: שְׁאַל מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָךְ. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: וּמִי אָתָּה? וְאָמַר לוֹ: אֲנִי הוּא אַשְׁמְדַאי, שֶׁשִּׁגְּרַנִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת לְךָ נֵס. אָמַר: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! לְהָגָר שִׁפְחַת שָׂרַי זִמַּנְתָּ מַלְאָךְ, וְלִי שִׁגַּרְתָּ שַׂר הַשֵּׁדִים?! אָמַר לוֹ אַשְׁמְדַאי: יָבֹא הַנֵּס מִכׇּל מָקוֹם! בֵּין אֲנִי שֵׁד אוֹ מַלְאָךְ יִתַּקְּנוּ חֲפָצֶעךָ. וְאָמַר בִּשְׁמֶךָ: ”רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן! רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן!“ — עַד שֶׁתָּבֹא אַתָּה וִיבַקְשׁוּ מִמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר תְּפַיְּסֵנִי שֶׁאֵצֵא מִזֶּה הַבַּיִת, וְאֹמַר: לֹא אֵצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ עַד שֶׁעוֹשִׂין חֲפָצָיו שֶׁל רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וּרְצוֹנוֹ! |
This is R. Shim‘on ben Yoḥai whom they dispatched from Jerusalem to Rome to (entreat) Caesar. While he was (still voyaging) on the ship, Ashmedai, ruler of the demons, appeared to him (in) a dream. He (Ashmedai) addressed him, ‘Ask what I might do for you!’ R. Shim‘on responded, ‘Who are you?’ He answered: ‘I am Ashmedai, the one whom the blessed Holy One has sent to perform a miracle for you.’ He exclaimed: ‘Master of the Universe! For Hagar, the serving-maid of Sarai, You summoned an angel, but for me You have sent the ruler of the demons?!?’ Ashmedai said to him, ‘Does the source from which the miracle comes matter—whether from I or from an angel—as long as your wishes are accomplished?’ Ashmedai continued: ‘I am going now to enter into (and take possession of) the body of the daughter of Caesar. I will weaken her and have her cry out your name (“R. Shim‘on! R. Shim‘on!”). Then, when you arrive and they ask you to expel me so that I might leave from this household, I will say “I shall not leave it until they satisfy the wishes of R. Shim‘on and what he desires!”’ |
וְהָלַךְ אַשְׁמְדַאי אֶל בֵּית הַקֵּיסַר וְעָשָׂה כׇּל־מַה־שֶּׁאָמַר לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְעַמְדָה בִתּוֹ שֶׁל קֵיסַר וְנִכְנַס בְּתוֹכָהּ. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנַס בָּהּ שִׁבְּרָה כׇּל־הַכֵּלִים אֲשֶׁר בַּפַּלְטֵר שֶׁל אָבִיהָ, וְהָיְתָה צוֹעֶקֶת: ”רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן! שִמְעוֹן בֶּן־יוֹחַאי!“ לְיָמִים מֻעָטִים בַּאֲתָה סְפִינָה וְהָיָה בְתוֹכָה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. הָלְכוּ וּבִשְּׂרוּ לַקֵּיסָר. שִׁגֵּר הַקֵּיסַר אַחֲרָיו וְאָמַר לוֹ: מָה אַתָּה רוֹצֶה? אָמָר לוֹ: הַיְּהוּדִים שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלִַם שִׁגְּרוּ לְךָ דּוֹרוֹן. אָמַר לוֹ: אֵינִי מְקַבֵּל מִמְּךָ דָּבָר וְאֵינִי רוֹצֶה מִמְּךָ אֶלָּא שֶׁאַתָּה תּוֹצִיא זֶה הַשֵּׁד מִבִּתִּי, כִּי אֵין לִי מִי יִמְלֹךְ אַחֲרַי בִּלְתִּי הִיא, כִּי אֵין לִי זֶרַע אַחֵר. הָלַךְ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר לוֹ: אַשְׁמְדַאי, צֵא מִזֹּאת הַנַּעֲרָה! אָמַר: לֹא אֵצֵא עַד שֶׁעוֹשִֹים לְךָ כׇּל־רְצוֹנֶךָ!… |
Ashmedai departed and went to the palace of Caesar and did everything that he told R. Shim‘on (he would do). The daughter of Caesar arose (from her bed?) and he entered into her. As soon as he had entered into her, she shattered all the crockery in the palace of her father, and was crying out ‘R. Shim‘on! Shim‘on ben Yoḥai!’ After a few days a ship arrived, and R. Shim‘on was on board. They went and announced (this news) to Caesar. Caesar sent for him and said to him, ‘What is your wish?’ He replied, ‘The Jews of Jerusalem have sent a gift for you.’ He (Caesar) said, ‘I will accept nothing from you, nor do I wish anything (from you) except that you expel this demon from my daughter. I have no one to succeed me in rule save for her, for there is no other offspring.’ R. Shim‘on went and addressed him: ‘Ashmedai! Come out from this maiden!’ He (Ashmedai) replied, ‘I will not leave until they do everything which you want (them to do)!’ He repeated this a number of times—‘I will not leave (the girl) until they satisfy your wishes!’ |
הָלַךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ וְשִׁגֵּר לְכׇל־זְקֵנָיו, שָׂרָיו וַעֲבָדָיו וְאָמַר לָהֶם: מַה־תֹּאמְרוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת לְבִתִּי שֶׁכְּבָר נִכְנַס בָּהּ זֶה הַשֵׁד, וְאָנוּ גָזַרְנוּ עַל הַיְּהוּדִים שֶׁלֹּא יָמוּלוּ אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם וְשֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמְרוּ אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת, וְשֶׁלֹא יִשְׁמְרוּ נְשׁוֹתֵיהֶם אֶת־הַנִּדּוּת, — וּמִנְהַג מַלְכוּתֵנוּ שֶׁכְּשֶׁגּוֹזְרִים גְּזֵרָה אֵין חוֹזְרִים לְעוֹלָם, וְאִם חוֹזֵר בָּהּ מֶלֶךְ מַעֲבִירִין אוֹתוֹ מִמַּלְכוּתוֹ, כְּדָת מָדַי וּפָרַס —? עָמַד אֶחָד מִיּוֹעֲצָיו וְאָמַר לוֹ: אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ! אֹמַר לְךָ דָּבָר, תִּתְרַפֵּא בוֹ בִתְּךָ וְתַעֲבִיר כׇּל־גְּזֵרוֹתֶיךָ, כִּי גְזֵרָה זֹאת עַל הַיְּהוּדִים רָעָה הִיא לָנוּ וָלָךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: אֱמֹר! אָמַר לוֹ: מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שׂוֹנֵא מַה־יִּרְצֶה מִמֶּנּוּ? יִהְיֶה עָנִי אוֹ עָשִׁיר? אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ: עָנִי. אָמַר לוֹ הַיּוֹעֵץ: הַיְהוּדִים מִנְהָגָם לְהִתְעַסֵּק כׇּל הַשָּׁבוּעַ וּמְכַנְּסִין מָמוֹן, וְיוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי מוֹצִיאִים הַכֹּל בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת; וְעַתָּה כְּשֶׁתַּפְסִיק לָהֶם הַשַׁבָּת יִשָּׁאֵר לָהֶם הוֹצָאַת שַׁבָּת וִיקַבְּצוּ מָמוֹן וְיִמְרְדוּ עָלֶיךָ, וְאִם תַּחֲזִיר לָהֶם הַשַּׁבָּת יוֹצִיאוּ בוֹ הוֹצָאוֹת רַבּוֹת, וְיִהְיוּ עֲנִיִּים, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ: הַחֲזִירוּ לָהֶם אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת! |
The ruler then went and sent for all his elders, princes, and servants. He asked them: ‘What do you advise (me) to do about my daughter? This demon has lately taken possession of her, but we have already decreed against the Jews that they will not circumcise their sons, observe the Sabbath, or permit their wives to observe (the rules of) menstrual impurity. The custom of our kingdom is that those who issue a decree can never revoke (it); should a ruler revoke it, they must remove him from his royal station in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians!’ One of his counselors arose and said to him, ‘My lord king, allow me to say something to you by which your daughter will be healed and which will permit you to revoke all of your decrees, for this decree against the Jews is bad for both us and for you.’ He (Caesar) replied to him, ‘Speak on!’ He (the counselor) continued, ‘If one has an enemy, would one rather that he (the enemy) be poor or rich?’ The king answered him, ‘Poor.’ The counselor said to him, ‘It is the Jews’ universal custom to labor all week long during which they accumulate wealth. On the sixth day they spend it all for the sake of honoring the Sabbath. But now, if you discontinue their Sabbath observance, the resources spent on Sabbath will (instead) be left (unspent) by them, and they will continue collecting wealth and (eventually) rebel against you. However, if you restore the Sabbath to them, they will expend many resources on it and remain poor.’ The king replied, ‘Restore the Sabbath to them!’ |
עוֹד אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹעֵץ: אִם יִהְיֶה לָאָדָם שׂוֹנְאִים מַה־יִּרְצֶה מֵהֶם? יִהְיוּ מְרֻבִּים אוֹ מֻעָטִים? אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ: מֻעָטִים. אָמַר לוֹ: אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ! הַיְהוּדִים עוֹשִׂים לִבְנֵיהֶם הַמִּילָה וְהֵם בְּנֵי שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים, — כְּשֶׁיִּחְיֶה אֶחָד, יָמוּתוּ מֵאָה. אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ: גַּם תַּחֲזִירוּ לָהֶם הַמִּילָה! |
The same counselor again said to him, ‘If a man has enemies, which would he prefer them to be? To be many or few?’ The ruler replied, ‘Few!’ He (the counselor) continued, ‘My lord king, the Jews perform circumcision upon their sons when they are (only) eight days old. Even should one of them survive (the operation), a hundred (others) will die!’ The ruler declared, ‘Also restore (the practice of) circumcision to them!’ |
עוֹד אָמַר לוֹ: אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ! כָּךְ הִיא הַנִּדּוּת: אִם תַּנִּיחַ נְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנִדּוּת, לֹא יִהְיֶה לָהֶן זֶרַע מְרֻבֶּה, כִּי הֵם יִשְׁמְרוּ שִׁבְעָה יָמִים יְמֵי הַדָּם וְשִׁבְעָה יָמִים נְקִיִּים. אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ: הַנִּיחוּ נְשֵׁיהֶם בְּנִדּוּת כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיוּ! |
Once more he (the counselor) said to him, ‘My lord king, (the rules of) menstrual impurity operate thusly: when Yisraelite women are assumed to be in a state of menstrual impurity, they engage in little sexual activity, for they must observe seven days (as) ‘days of bloodflow’ and seven (further) days as days of purification.’ The ruler declared, ‘Permit their law regarding menstrual impurity as before!’ |
אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: קִיַּמְתִּי שְׁאֵלַתְכֶם! לֵךְ אֱמֹר לָשֵּׁד שֶׁיֵּצֵא מִבִּתִּי! גָּזַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן עַל אַשְׁמְדַאי, וְיָצָא מִבַּת הַמֶּלֶךְ. וְהֶחֱזִיר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הַדּוֹרוֹן שֶׁהֵבִיא לוֹ, וְנָתַן לוֹ עוֹד מַתָּנָה מְרֻבָּה, וְכָתַב לוֹ אִגְּרוֹת לְאַשָּׁרָה לִסְרַדְיוֹט שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם. וְהָלַךְ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לִירוּשָׁלִַם שָׂמֵחַ וְטוֹב לֵב, וְנִתְבַּטְּלוּ הַגְּזֵרוֹת. |
The ruler (then) said to R. Shim‘on, ‘I grant your condition. Go, inform the demon that he should leave my daughter!’ R. Shim‘on ordered Ashmedai (to come forth), and he (the demon) departed from the ruler’s daughter. The ruler returned to R. Shim‘on the gift which he had brought to him (from Jerusalem), and gave him numerous additional presents, and wrote for him letters of endorsement for his official who was in Jerusalem. And R. Shim‘on returned to Jerusalem rejoicing and in good spirits, and the decrees were annulled. |
וְזֶה הוּא רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן שֶׁהָיָה חָבוּי בִּמְעָרָה קֹדֶם לָכֵן מִפְּנֵי הַקֵּיסָר וְנִתְעַנָּה אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְלַיְלָה וְהִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי יְיָ. וְכָךְ אָמַר בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם, אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל, הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא, קוֹנֶה בְרַחֲמָיו שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, חַי וְקַיָּם לַעֲדֵי עַד וּלְנֶצַח נְצָחִים! תִּתְהַדַּר, תִּתְקַלַּס, תִּתְעַטַּר, תִּתְפָאַר, תִּתְיַחַד, — שֶׁאַתָּה, מֶלֶךְ הַמְּלָכִים וַאדוֹנֵי הָאֲדוֹנִים, שְׁמֶךָ, יָחִיד אַתָּה וְיָחִיד שְׁמֶךָ! אַתָּה הוּא שֶׁבָּחַרְתָּ בְאַבְרָם וְהוֹצֵאתוֹ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים אֱלֹהִים, אֲשֶׁר תִּפְתַּח לִי שַׁעֲרֵי תְפִלָּה וְתִשְׁלַח לִי מַלְאָךְ לְהוֹדִיעֵנִי: אֵימָתַי יָבֹא מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן־דָּוִד? וְאֵיךְ יְקַבֵּץ גָלֻיּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכׇּל־הַמְּקוֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר נִתְפַּזְּרוּ שָׁם? וְכַמָּה מִלְחָמוֹת יַעַבְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם לְאַחַר קִבּוּצָם? וִיבָאֵר אֵלַי הַדָּבָר — בְּטוּבִךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהִים! — וְ”עַד מָתַי קֵץ הַפְּלָאוֹת“. |
This was the R. Shim‘on who was incarcerated in a cave before this (adventure) on account of (the persecutions of) Caesar. He fasted for forty days and nights and prayed before Hashem, and this is what he said in his prayer: ‘Blessed are You, Hashem our Èlōăhʰ and Èlōăhʰ of our ancestors, Èlōăhʰ of Avraham, Yitsḥaq, and Yaaqov, El great, mighty, and awesome, Who out of His mercies created heaven and earth, alive and enduring forever and forever! May You be glorified, praised, coroneted, adorned, and professed as One, for You are King of kings and Lord of lords! (A perfect) Unity, for You are equivalent to Your name: You are hidden from the sight of all living things, and (so too) Your name is hidden; You are marvelous and Your name is marvelous; You are unique and Your name is unique! You are the One who chose Avram and brought him forth from Ur of the Chaldeans and revealed to him the suffering caused by the oppression of the empires who would place his descendants in subjection. I ask You now, Elohim, to open the gates of prayer for me and to send to me an angel to instruct me (regarding) when the Messiah of the lineage of David will come, how he will gather together the exiled of Yisrael from all the various places where they have been dispersed, and how many wars they must endure after their ingathering? May he explain to me the topic by the pleasure of Hashem Elohim! How long (is it) until the time of marvels?’ |
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: מִיָּד נִפְתְּחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי שָׁמַיִם וָאֶרְאֶה מַרְאוֹת אֱלֹהִים. וָאֶפֹּל עַל פָּנַי, וְהִנֵּה קוֹל מְדַבֵּר אֵלָי: שִׁמְעוֹן, שִׁמְעוֹן! וָאַעַן וָאֲדַבֵּר אֶל הַמְדַבֵּר אֵלָי: מָה אַתָּה אוֹמֵר, אֲדוֹנִי? אָמַר אֵלָי: עֲמֹד עַל עָמְדֶךָ! וּבְדַבְּרוֹ עִמִּי עָמַדְתִּי מַרְעִיד וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: מַה־שְּׁמֶךָ? אָמַר לִי: לָמָּה זֶּה תִּשְׁאַל לִשְׁמִי וְהוּא פֶּלִאי? |
R. Shim‘on said: ‘Immediately the gates of heaven were opened to me and I beheld visions of Elohim. I fell upon my face and behold, a voice was addressing me, “Shim‘on! Shim‘on!” I answered and said to the one addressing me, “What are you saying, my lord?” He said to me, “Rise up from your place (on the ground).” As he spoke to me, I stood up trembling and said to him, “What is your name?” He responded to me, “Why this (need) to ask for my name? It is incomprehensible!” |
וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: מָתַי יָבוֹא גּוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל? אָמַר אֵלַי: ”וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים“ (שמות ב:כה). מִיָּד הֶעֱבִיר לְפָנַי אֶת הַקֵּינִי. שָׁאַלְתִּי אוֹתוֹ: מִי אֵלֶּה? אָמַר לִי: אֵלֶּה הֵם הַקֵּינִי. עוֹד הֶרְאַנִי מַלְכוּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אַחַר הַקֵּינִי. מִיָּד בָּכִיתִי בְּכִיָּה גְדוֹלָה וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: אֲדוֹנִי! וְכִי יֶשׁ־לוֹ קַרְנַיִם וּטְלָפַיִם כְּדֵי שֶׁיָדוּשׁ בָּהֶם אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל? אָמַר לִי: הֵן. |
‘I said to him, “When will the deliverer of Yisrael come?” He answered me (quoting), “And Elohim beheld the children of Yisrael, and Elohim knew” (Exod 2:25). Immediately he caused the Ḳenites to pass before me. I asked him, “Who are these?” He said to me, “These are the Ḳenites.” He moreover showed me the kingdom of Yishmael which would come into existence after (that) of the Ḳenites. I immediately wept an intense shower of tears and said to him, “My lord! Will he (also) have horns and hooves with which he will crush Yisrael?” He answered me, “Yes.”’ |
עוֹדֶנִּי מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ וְהִנֵּה מַלְאָךְ אַחֵר שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ מְטַטְרוֹן נָגַע בִּי, וַיְּעִירֵנִי כְּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יֵעוֹר מִשְּׁנָתוֹ. וּבִרְאוֹתִי אוֹתוֹ עָמַדְתִּי מַרְעִיר וְנֶהֶפְכוּ צִירַי עָלַי וְלֹא עָצַרְתִּי כֹחַ וַאֲחָזוּנִי צִירִים כְּצִירֵי יוֹלֵדָה. וַיֹּאמֶר לִי: שִׁמְעוֹן! וָאֹמַר: הִנֵּנִי! וַיֹאמֶר לִי: דַּע כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁלָחַנִי אֵלֶיךָ כְּדֵי לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שְׁאֵלָתְךָ שֶׁשָּׁאַלְתָּ מִלְּפָנָיו; עַכְשָׁו כְּשֶׁרָאִיתָ אֶת־הַקֵּינִי וּמַלְכוּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל בָּכִיתָ, וְלֹא הָיָה לְךָ לִבְכּוֹת אֶלָּא עַל מַלְכוּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל לְבָד, שֶׁבְּאַחֲרִית מַלְכוּתָהּ תַּהֲרֹג מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הֶרֶג רָב אֵין שִׁעוּר וְתִגְזֹר עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּזֵרוֹת קָשׁוֹת, וְאוֹמֶרֶת: כׇּל־הַקּוֹרֵא בַתּוֹרָה יִדָּקֵר בֶּחָרֶב! וְתַחֲזִיר מִקְצָת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל לְדִינָהּ… וּמַלְכוּת הַקֵּינִי יָבוֹאוּ בָּעֵת הַהִיא לִירוּשָׁלִָם, וְכוֹבְשִׁין אוֹתָהּ וְהוֹרְגִין בָּהּ יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלֹשֶׁת רִבּוֹא… |
I was still speaking with him when, behold, an angel whose name was Meṭaṭron touched me ‘and roused me like a man who is roused from his sleep.’ When I saw him, I stood trembling and ‘my pains racked me, and I could retain no strength’ and ‘was seized with pains like those of a woman giving birth.’ He said to me, ‘Shim‘on!’ I responded, ‘Here I am.’ He said to me, ‘Know that the blessed Holy One has sent me to you in order to inform you with regard to your question which you asked Him. Now, when you saw the Ḳenite and the kingdom of Yishmael, you wept, but you should confine your weeping to the matter of the kingdom of Yishmael alone. For during the final period of its rule, it will effect a great slaughter beyond measure among Yisrael and decree harsh edicts against Yisrael and announce (that) “anyone who reads Torah will be pierced by the sword.” A portion of Yisrael will turn to their (i.e., Yishmael’s) laws. At that time the kingdom of the Ḳenites will come to Jerusalem, subdue it, and kill more than thirty thousand within it. |
וּמִפְּנֵי הַלַּחַץ שֶׁלּוֹחֲצִין אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׁוֹלֵחַ בָּם יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים וְעוֹשִׂים עִמָּהֶם מִלְחָמָה כְּדֵי לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיָּדם. וְעוֹמֵד אִישׁ שׁוֹטֶה וּבַעַל רוּחַ וּמְדַבֵּר עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְזָבִים, וְהוּא מְכַבֵּשׁ אֶת־אֲדוֹנִי! |
Due to the pressure with which they constrain Yisrael, the blessed Holy One will send (more) Yishmaelites against them, and they will make war with them in order to deliver Yisrael from their grasp. A demented, demon-possessed man—one who speaks lies about the blessed Holy One—will arise and subdue the land, and there will be enmity between them (the Yishmaelites) and the children of Ésav.’ |
וְכִי בְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל יְשׁוּעָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל? אָמַר לִי: וְלֹא כָךְ אָמַר יְשַעְיָה הַנָּבִיא: ”וְרָאָה רֶכֶב, צֶמֶד פָּרָשִׁים, רֶכֶב חֲמוֹר, רֶכֶב גָּמָל“ (ישעיה כא:ז): ”רֶכֶב“ — זוֹ מַלְכוּת מָדַי וּפָרַס, ”צֶמֶד“ — זוֹ מַלְכוּת יָוָן, ”פָרָשִׁים“ — זוֹ מַלְכוּת אֱדוֹם, ”רֶכֶב חֲמוֹר“ — זֶה מָשִׁיחַ, שֶׁנֶאֱמַר (זכריה ט:ט): ”עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל־חֲמוֹר“, ”רֶכֶב גָּמָל“ — זוֹ מַלְכוּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל, שֶׁבְּיָמֶיהָ תִּצְמַח מַלְכוּת מָשִׁיחַ, — לְכָךְ הִקְדִּים ”רֶכֶב חֲמוֹר“ עַל ”רֶכֶב גָּמָל“, וְיִשְׂמַח ”רֶכֶב גָּמָל“ בְּבִיאַת מָשִׁיחַ…… (וְהַחֲכָמִים יָמוּתוּ וִידֵי בְנֵי בְלִיַּעַל תֶּחֱזַקְנָה). |
I turned to Meṭaṭron and said to him, ‘Are the Yishmaelites a deliverance for Yisrael?’ He said to me, ‘Did not Isaiah the prophet speak thusly? “And should he see chariotry of a pair of riders, one riding an ass, (and) one riding a camel” (Isaiah 21:7).’ “Chariotry”—this (word) refers to the Achaemenid empire. “Pair”—this (word) refers to the Greek empire(s). “Riders”—this (word) refers to the Roman empire. “One riding an ass”—this (phrase) refers to the Messiah, as Scripture attests: “humble and mounted upon an ass” (Zechariah 9:9). “One riding a camel”—this (phrase) refers to the kingdom of Yishmael, during whose rule the Messianic kingdom will sprout. This is why (the phrase) “one riding an ass” precedes (the phrase) “one riding a camel” (in the verse from Isaiah). The “one riding a camel” will rejoice at the advent of the Messiah; nevertheless, the sages perish and the power of the riff-raff grows stronger.’ |
[וְעוֹד: ”וַיַּרְא אֶת־הַקֵּינִי“ — וְכִי מַה־מָּשָׁל רָאָה בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע? אֶלָּא שֶׁרָאָה בִלְעָם שֵׁבֶט קֵינִי עֲתִידִים לַעֲמֹד וּלְשַׁעְבֵּד אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל, הִתְחִיל אוֹמֵר: ”אֵיתָן מוֹשָׁבֶךָ“ — רוֹאֶה אֲנִי שֶׁאֵין אַתֶּם אוֹכְלִים אֶלָּא מִמְּצִלַּת אֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי]. |
[Again ‘and he beheld the Ḳenite’ (Numbers 24:21). What was the symbolic message which Bil’am the wicked saw? When Bil’am foresaw that the tribe of Ḳenites would in the future arise and place Yisrael under subjection, he began (and) said: ‘“Ethan is your dwelling” (ibid.)—I see that you will occupy yourselves only with the bell (?) of Ethan the easterner.’] |
וְהַמֶּלֶךְ הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד מִבְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל הוּא אוֹהֵב אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוּא גוֹדֵר אֶת־פִרְצוֹת הַהֵיכָל, וְעוֹשֶׂה מִלְחָמָה עִם בְּנֵי עֵשָׂו וְהוֹרֵג אֶת־חֵילוֹתֵיהֶם. |
The second king who will arise from the Yishmaelites will love Yisrael. He will repair the breaches of the Temple, make war with the descendants of Ésav, and slaughter their armies. |
וְיָעֲמֹד מֶלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר שְׁמוֹ מֵרוּאַן… וְיִהְיֶה רוֹעֶה אֲתוֹנוֹת, וְיִקְחוּ אוֹתוֹ מֵאַחֲרֵי הָאֲתוֹנוֹת וְיַמְלִיכוּ אוֹתוֹ. וְיַעַמְדוּ עָלָיו בְּנֵי אֱדוֹם וְיַהַרְגוּ אוֹתוֹ. |
There shall arise a king whose name is Méruăn. He will be a herder of asses, and they will take him from following the asses and coronate him as ruler. The Èdomites shall arise against him and kill him, |
וְיָעֲמֹד אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו, וְיִהְיֶה לוֹ שָׁלוֹם מִכׇּל עֲבָרָיו, וְיִהְיֶה אוֹהֵב צִיּוֹן וְיָמוּת בְּשָׁלום. |
and another will succeed him, and he (this latter one) shall have peace from all who transgress against him. He will be a friend of Ẓíōn and die in peace. |
. . . . . . . . . . . | |
וְיָעֲמֹד מֶלֶךְ אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו, וְיַחֲזִיק אֶת־הַמְּלוּכָה בְּחַרְבּוֹ וּבְקַשְׁתּוֹ. וּקְטָטָה תִּהְיֶה בְיָמָיו: פַּעַם בַּמִּזְרָח וּפַעַם בַּמַּעַרָב, פַּעַם בַּצָּפוֹן וּפַעַם בַּדָּרוֹם, וְעוֹשֶׂה מִלְחָמָה עִם הַכֹּל… וּבָעֵת שֶׁיִּפֹּל הַגִּירוֹן שֶׁבַּמַּעֲרָב עַל בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּדַמֶּשֶׂק תִּפֹּל מַלְכוּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל — וְעַל אוֹתָהּ הָעֵת נֶאֱמַר (ישעיה יד:ה): ”שָׁבַר יְיָ מַטֵּה רְשָׁעִים“. וַעֲדַיִן אֶצְלוֹ גִּבּוֹרֵי בְנֵי קֵדָר, תִּפְשַׁע עָלָיו רוּחַ מִזְרָחִית צְפוֹנִית, וְיִפְּלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ חֲלָלִים רַבִּים: הָרִאשׁוֹן עַל חִדֶּקֶל, וְהַשֵּׁנִי עַל פְּרָת, וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי בֵּינָתַיִם, — וְהוּא בּוֹרֵחַ מִלִּפְנֵיהֶם, וְיִלָכְדוּ בָנָיו וְיֵהָרְגוּ וְיִתָּלוּ עַל הָעֵצִים. |
Another king will arise in his place and strengthen his hold upon the kingdom with his sword and his bow. Strife will occur during his reign: occasionally in the east, occasionally in the west, occasionally in the north, and occasionally in the south, and he will wage war with all (of them). At the time when the גירון in the west collapses upon the Yishmaelites in Damascus, the kingdom of Yishmael will fall, for regarding this time (Scripture) said: ‘Hashem has broken the rod of the wicked’ (Isaiah 14:5). Warriors from the sons of Qedar will still remain with him. The northeastern quadrant will rebel against him and defeat many of his armies: the first by the Tigris, the second by the Euphrates, and the third in Mesopotamia. He will flee from them, but they will capture his sons, kill (them), and hang (them) upon wooden scaffolding. |
”וְהָיָה בַיּוֹם הַהוּא יִשְׁרֹק יְיָ לַזְּבוּב אֲשֶׁר בִּקְצֵה יְאֹרֵי מִצְרָיִם וְלַדְּבוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ אַשּׁוּר“ (ישעיה ז:יח): עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׁרֹק לִבְנֵי כְנַעַן וְעוֹשִׂים מִלְחָמָה עִם הָאַשְׁכְּנַזִּים. וּמֶלֶךְ רִאשׁוֹן מַנְהִיג אוֹתָם וּמוֹצֵא שֶׁמָּרְדוּ עַל אֲדוֹנֵיהֶם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מט:ז): ”כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ לִבְזֹה נֶפֶשׁ, לִמְתָעֵב גּוֹי, לְעֶבֶד מֹשְׁלִים“ — ”לִמְתָעֵב גּוֹי“ מִי הוּא? הֱוֵה אוֹמֵר: זֶה בְּנֵי כְנַעַן, שֶׁהֵם מְתֹעָבִים מִכׇּל־הָאֻמּוֹת — |
‘On that day Hashem will signal for the fly’ (Isaiah 7:18). The blessed Holy One will signal ‘for the bees who are in the region of Assyria’ (ibid.) and they shall wage war with the Ashkenazim. The first king who leads them and brings (them) forth is one who rebelled against their masters, as Scripture attests: ‘Thus says Hashem … to the despised one, to the one loathed by the nation, to the slave of kings’ (Isaiah 49:7). And (the phrase) ‘slave of kings’ indicates whom? He said, ‘This (phrase) refers to the Canaanites who are the most despised of all the nations.’ |
”לְעֶבֶד מֹשְׁלִים“ — שֶׁיִּהְיֶה עֶבֶד מוֹשְׁלִים, וְהוּא מוֹרֵד עַל אֲדוֹנָיו, וְהֵם מִתְקַבְּצִים אֵלָיו, וּמִתְקַבְּצִים עִמָּהֶם אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁמָּרְדוּ עַל אֲדוֹנֵיהֶם. וְעוֹשִׂים מִלְחָמָה עִם בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְהוֹרְגִים אֶת־גִּבּוֹרֵיהֶם וְיוֹרְשִׁים אֶת־מְמוֹנָם וּרְכוּשָׁם. וְהֵם אֲנָשִׁים כְּעוּרִים בְּיוֹתֵר וְלוֹבְשִׁים שְׁחוֹרִים וְיוֹצְאִים מִמִּזְרָח. וְהֵם מָרִים וְנִמְהָרִים — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (חבקוק א:ו): ”כִּי הִנְנִי מֵקִים אֶת־הַכַּשְׂדִּים, הַגּוֹי הַמַּר וְהַנִּמְהָר“, — וְכֻלָּם פָּרָשִׁים — שְׁנֶּאֱמַר (נחום ג:ג): ”פָּרָשׁ מַעֲלֶה“, — וּבָאִים מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה ”לָרֶשֶׁת מִשְׁכְּנוֹת לֹא לוֹ“, וְעוֹלִים עַל מְרוֹם הָרִים, וְהוּא הַר מְרוֹם יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּפוֹרְצִים הַהֵיכָל וּמְכַבִּים הַנֵּרוֹת וְקוֹרְעִים הַדְּלָתוֹת. |
Regarding (the phrase) ‘slave of kings’: there will be a slave of rulers who will rebel against his masters, and (other) men who have rebelled against their masters will be gathered to him and assemble themselves with them. They will make war with the Yishmaelites, kill their warriors, and take possession of their wealth and property. They are very repulsive men, dressed in black, and coming forth from the east. They are cruel and impetuous, as Scripture attests: ‘Lo, I shall raise up against the Chaldeans the nation cruel and impetuous’ (Habbakuk 1:6). All of them are horsemen, as Scripture attests: ‘horsemen charging up’ (Nachum 3:3). They come from a distant land to take possession of dwellings that do not belong to them, and they will ascend onto the height of the mountains—this refers to ‘the mountain-height of Yisrael’—and demolish the sanctuary, extinguish the lamps, and split the doors. |
וְעוֹד יַעַמְדוּ אַרְבָּעָה מְלָכִים אֲחֵרִים, שְׁנַיִם מֵהֶם נִגְלִים וּשְׁנַיִם אֲחֵרִים יַעַמְדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, וּבִימֵיהֶם יִצְמַח בֶּן־דָּוִד — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ב:מד): ”וּבְיוֹמֵיהוֹן דִּי מַלְכַיָּא אִנּוּן יְקִים אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא מַלְכוּ דִּי לְעָלְמִין לָא תִתְחַבַּל“. |
Moreover four other kings will arise—two of them have been revealed—and two others will arise against them. During their reigns the son of David will appear, as Scripture says: ‘and in the days of those kings’ (Daniel 2:44). |
וּדְמוּת הַמֶּלֶךְ הָרִאשׁוֹן — אִישׁ יָשִׁישׁ וְאֵינוֹ זָקֵן הַרְבֵּה, וְהַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁפַל בֶּרֶךְ, עֵינָיו יָפוֹת וּשְׂעָרוֹ נָאֶה, שָׁחוֹר, וְהֵן מִתְכַּשְּׁלִין בּוֹ. |
The form of the first king: an aged man, but not exceedingly old. The king is modest, his eyes attractive, and his hair lovely (and) black. But they will be led astray by him. |
. . . . . . . . . . . | |
וְאַחֲרָיו יַעֲמֹד אַחֵר בְּמַחֲלֹקֶת, וְיַעֲמִיד חֲיָלוֹת הַרְבֵּה עַל נְהַר פְּרָת, וּבְיוֹם אֶחָד יִפְּלוּ חֵילוֹתָיו שֶׁבַּצָּפוֹן וְשֶׁבַּדָּרוֹם, וְיִבְרַח וְיִלָּכֵד וְיֵאָסֵר, וְכׇל הַיָּמִים שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בַּמַּאֲסָר יִהְיֶה שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ. |
After him another (ruler) will arise amidst dissensions, and he will station large armies by the Euphrates River. Yet his armies will fall in a single day, those in the north and those in the south, and he will flee, but will be captured and imprisoned, and all the time he is held captive there will be peace in the land. |
וְהַמֶּלֶךְ הָרְבִיעִי אוֹהֵב כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב, וְהוּא זָקֵן וּגְבַהּ קוֹמָה, וְיֶשׁ־לוֹ שׁוּמָה עַל גֻּדָּלָהּ שֶׁל רַגְלוֹ הַיְמָנִית. וְעוֹשֶׂה מַטְבֵּעוֹת שֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת וְטוֹמֵן אוֹתָם וְגוֹנֵז אוֹתָם תַּחַת פְּרָת עִם כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב, וְהֵם נִגְנָזִים לַמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מה:ג): ”וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ אֹצְרוֹת חֹשֶׁךְ וּמַטְמֻנֵי מִסְתָּרִים“. וּבְיָמָיו תִּפְשַׁע קֶרֶן מַעֲרָבִית, וְיִשְׁלַח שְׁנֵי גְיָסִים וְהֵם הוֹרְגִים מִבְּנֵי מִזְרָח, וּמְשַׁלֵּחַ עוֹד אֲחֵרִים. |
The fourth king is a lover of silver and gold: he is elderly and tall and has a mole upon the big toe of his right foot. He will mint bronze coins and hide them and store them beneath the Euphrates with (his) silver and gold, but these (treasures) are (actually) held in storage for the King Messiah, as Scripture attests: ‘I will give you treasures (concealed in) darkness and secret hidden things’ (Isaiah 45:3). During his reign the western quadrant will rebel, and he will dispatch two squadrons of troops, and they (those in the west) will kill some of the easterners, consequently (necessitating) the dispatch of still others (to the west). |
וּבִתְחִלַּת הַשָּׁבוּעַ הָאֶחָד אֵין בּוֹ מָטָר, וּבַשְּׁנִיָּה חִצֵּי רָעָב, וּבַשְּׁלִישִׁית יִהְיֶה רָעָב גָּדוֹל וְלֹא יִהְיֶה מָטָר, וּבָרְבִיעִית בֵּינוֹנִית, וּבַחֲמִישִׁית יִהְיֶה שֹׂבַע גָּדוֹל, וּבַשִּׁשִּׁית יִצְמַח כּוֹכָב אֶחָד מִמִּזְרָח, וּבְרֹאשׁוֹ שֵׁבֶט שֶׁל אֵשׁ כְּמוֹ רֹמַח, וְאוֹמְרִים אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם: כּוֹכָב זֶה לָנוּ הוּא! וְאֵינוֹ כֵן, אֶלָּא מִשֶּׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כד:יז): ”דָּרַךְ כּוֹכָב מִיַּעֲקֹב“; וְעֵת זְרִיחָתוֹ — בָּאַשְׁמֹרֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל לַיְלָה עַד שְׁתֵּי שָׁעוֹת, וְעוֹשֶׂה חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם בַּמִּזְרָח, וְסוֹבֵב לַמַּעֲרָב וְעוֹשֶׂה חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם, וְאִם יֶתֶר — הוּא טוֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל… |
And at the beginning of week one there is no rain, and in the second (week) ‘arrows of hunger,’ and in the third will be a severe famine accompanied by drought, and in the fourth an average (climactic state), and in the fifth there will be great satiety. And during the sixth a star shall appear from the east and on top of it a rod of fire like a spear. The Gentile nations will claim ‘this star is ours,’ but it is not so; rather, it pertains to Yisrael, as Scripture forecasts: ‘a star shall step forth from Yaaqov, etc.’ (Numbers 24:17). The time of its shining will be during the first watch of the night for two hours. It will set (for) fifteen days in the east, and then revolve to the west and act (similarly?) for fifteen days. If it should be more (its period of shining), this is good for Yisrael. |
וְעוֹד שַׁבְתִּי לִתְפִלָּתִי וְגַם לְתַעֲנִיתִי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם עַד שֶׁנִּגְלָה עָלַי זֶה הַמַּלְאָךְ וְאָמַר לִי: שְׁאָל! אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: אַדוֹנִי, מַה תִּהְיֶה אֲחֲרִית אֵלֶּה? אָמַר לִי הַמַּלְאָךְ: אַחַר כׇּל־אֵלֶּה מִתְגַּבְּרִים בְּנֵי מַעֲרָב בַּחֲיָלִים גְדוֹלִים, וָהֵם בָּאִים מְעֹרָבִים וְעוֹרְכִים מִלְחָמָה עִם בְּנֵי מִזְרָח שֶׁבְּאַרְצָם וְהוֹרְגִים אוֹתָם, וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִיִם בּוֹרְחִים מִלִּפְנֵיהֶם וּבָאִים לַאֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִיָּה, וְיִרְדְּפוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם מִבְּנֵי מַעֲרָב וְיָבֹאוּ לְשָׁם, וְשָׁם תִּהְיֶה מִלְחָמָה גְדוֹלָה, וְיִבְרְחוּ מִשָּׁם בְּנֵי מִזְרָח וְיָבֹאוּ עַד מִצָרַיִם וְיִשְׁבּוּ אוֹתָהּ, וְיִקְחוּ מַלְקוֹחַ, וְיַעֲשׂוּ אוֹתָהּ שְׁמָמָה — לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (יואל ד:יט): ”מִצְרַיִם לִשְׁמָמָה תִהְיֶה“ — ”וְיַעַבְרוּ בְּאֶרֶץ הַצְּבֵי וְכָלָה בְיָדָם, וְכׇל מִי שֶׁהוּא נִשְׁבֶּה לֹא יַחֲזוֹר עַד שֶׁיָּבוֹא מָשִׁיחַ. |
Again I returned to my prayer and also my fasting (for) forty days until this angel appeared to me. He said to me, ‘Ask!’ I answered him, ‘My lord, what will be the end of these (things)?’ The angel said to me, ‘After all these (things) the westerners will become overpowering, with mighty armies, and they will come mingled (sic) and make war with the easterners who are in their land. They (the westerners) will kill them, and those who survive will flee before them and enter Alexandria. Some of the westerners will pursue after them and arrive (at the city), and a great battle will take place there. The easterners shall flee from there and come into Egypt. They shall capture it, take spoil, and make it a desolate place in order to affirm what Scripture says: “Egypt will become a desolate place” (Joel 4:19). They will advance over into ‘the glorious land’ (Erets Yisrael) and (the land will suffer) complete destruction at their hand. Anyone whom they capture will not return (to Erets Yisrael) until the Messiah comes.’ |
וּכְשֶׁשָּׁמַעְתִּי הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה בָּכִיתִי עַד מְאֹד. אָמַר לִי הַמַּלְאָךְ: שִׁמְעוֹן, מִפְּנֵי מָה אַתָּה בוֹכֶה? אֲמַרְתִּי לוֹ: בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תִהְיֶה לָהֶם פְּלֵטָה בְיָמָיו? אָמַר לִי: הַדָּבָר קָשֶׁה עַד מְאֹד — אִם תַּנִּיחַ בָּשָׂר עַל הָאֵשׁ, לֹא תוּכַל לְהִנַּצֵל מֵרֵיחוֹ — כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינָם נִצּוֹלִים. וְכׇל־מִי שֶׁהוּא בָא בְּחֶדֶר וְיִבְרַח וְיֵחָבֵא יִנָּצֵל — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כו:כ): ”לֵךְ, עַמִּי, בֹּא בַחֲדָרֶיךָ וּסְגֹר דְּלָתְיךָ בַּעֲדֶךָ, חָבִי כִּמְעַט רֶגַע עַד יַעֲבָר־זָעַם“, וְאוֹמֵר (ישעיה יג:טו): ”כׇּל־הַנִּמְצָא יִדָּקֵר וְכׇל־הַנִּסְפֶּה יִפּוֹל בֶּחָרֶב“; וְהֵם עוֹבְרִים בְּאֶרֶץ הַצְּבִי וְשׁוֹסִים — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל יא:מ): ”וּבָא בַאֲרְצוֹת, וְשָׁטַף וְעָבָר“; וּבָאִים בְּנַחֲלֵי הַבַּתּוֹת, וְהֵם בְּאֶמְצְעִיתָהּ, וְשָׁם תִּהְיֶה מִלְחָמָה גְדוֹלָה שֶׁנִּתְנַבְּאוּ עָלֶיהָ כׇּל־הַנְּבִיאִים, וְיֵהָפְכוּ נְחָלִים וּמֵימֵי פְרָת לְדָם, וְלֹא יוּכְלוּ הַנִּשְׁאָרִים לִשְׁתּוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ: וּמִשָּׁם תִּשָּׁבֵר מַלְכוּת מִזְרָח, |
When I heard this discourse, I wept very much. The angel said to me, ‘Shim‘on, why do you weep?’ I answered him, ‘Will there be no escape for the descendents of Avraham, Yitsḥaq, and Yaaqov during his (sic) days?’ He said to me, ‘The situation will be very difficult: if you leave meat over the fire, you cannot escape its savor; so too Yisrael cannot escape. But everyone who enters into a chamber and flees and hides will escape, as Scripture says: “Go, my people, enter your chambers!” (Isaiah 26:20). “All who are discovered will be stabbed, and all who are captured shall fall by the sword” (Isaiah 13:15). They will pass through ‘the glorious land’ and pillage, as Scripture notes: “and he shall enter the lands, sweeping and passing through” (Daniel 11:40). They come into “the ravines of the precipices,” and they will be in the middle, and a great battle will take place there concerning which all the prophets have prophesied, and the streams and waters of the Euphrates will turn to blood. Those who remain will be unable to drink from it, and (it is) from there that the kingdom of the east will be destroyed. |
וְאַחַר כׇּל־אֵלֶּה יַעֲמֹד מֶלֶךְ עַז פָּנִים וְיַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים וּמֶחֱצָה; וּבִתְחִלַּת מַלְכוּתוֹ, כְּשֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד, לוֹקֵחַ הָעֲשִׁירִים וּמְפַנֶּה מְמוֹנָם וְהוֹרֵג אוֹתָם, וְלֹא יְמַלֵּט כֶּסֶף אֶת־בְּעָלָיו — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל ז:יט): ”כַּסְפָּם וּזְהָבָם לֹא־יוּכַל לְהַצִּילָם“, וְלֹא תַעֲמֹד עָלָיו עֲצָתוֹ וּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ; וְכׇל־מִי שֶׁמַּזְכִּיר ”שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ!“ הוֹרְגוֹ, וְכׇל הָאוֹמֵר ”אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם!“ יֵהָרֵג; וְאוֹמְרִים: נַחֲזֹר כֻּלָּנוּ אֻמָּה אַחַת וּנְבַטֵּל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּתוֹת וְהַמּוֹעֲדִים וְרָאשֵׁי הֶחֳדָשִׁים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ז:כה): ”וְיִסְבַּר לְהַשְׁנָיָה זִמְנִין וְדָת“ — ”זִמְנִין“ — הֵם הַמוֹעֲדִים, וְ”דָת“ — הִיא הַתּוֹרָה — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לג:ב): ”אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ“. וּבְיָמָיו צָרָה גְדוֹלָה תִּהְיֶה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכׇל מִי שֶׁהוּא גוֹלֶה לַגָּלִיל הָעֶלְיוֹן יִמָּלֵט — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יואל ג:ה): ”כִּי בְּהַר־צִיּוֹן וּבִירוּשָׁלִַם תִּהְיֶה פְלֵיטָה“, — עַד דְּמָטֵי מרון. וְהוֹרֵג מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לְדַמֶּשֶׂק, וּכְשֶׁהוּא מַגִּיעַ לְדַמֶּשֶׂק, נוֹתֵן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֶזְרָה וְהַצְלָחָה לְיִשְׂרָאל. וּבְיָמָיו תִּהְיֶה קְטָטָה וּמִלְחָמָה בָּעוֹלָם, וְעִיר נִלְחָמָה עִם חֲבֶרְתָּהּ וּמְדִינָה עִם מְדִינָה, וְעַם בְּעַם וְגוֹי בְּגוֹי, וְאֵין שָׁלוֹם לַיּוֹצֵא וְלַבָּא — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (צפניה א:יז): ”וַהֲצֵרֹתִי לָאָדָם וְהַָלְכוּ כַּעִוְרִים“. וְעַם יְיָ מְטֻלְטָלִים, וְצָרָה תִהְיֶה עֲלֵיהֶם שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים, וְיִנָּתְנוּ בְיָדוֹ עַד סוֹף שָׁלֹשׁ הַשָּׁנִים — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ז:כה): ”וְיִתְיַהֲבוּן בִּידֵהּ עַד עִדָּן וְעִדָּנִין וּפְלַג עִדָּן“ — ”עִדָּן“ — שָׁנָה ”עִדָּנִין“ — שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, ”פְלַג עִדָּן“ — חֲצִי שָׁנָה, נִמְצָא שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים וּמֶחֱצָה מְבַטֵּל הַגְּזֵרָה וְהַתִּפְלָה — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל יב:א): ”וּמֵעֵת הוּסַר הַתָּמִיד וְלָתֵת שִׁקּוּץ שֹׁמֵם אֶלֶף מָאתַיִם וְתִשְׁעִים”… וְהֵם שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים וּמֶחֱצָה. |
And after all these things a king “strong of face” will arise and be active for three and one-half years. At the beginning of his rule when he arises, he will receive those who are rich, remove their money, and kill them: hence wealth will not deliver its owner, as Scripture attests: “their silver and their gold will be unable to save them” (Ezekiel 7:19), nor will his counsel and planning stand up against him. He will kill whoever recites the Shema‘, and he will kill whoever says “Èlōăhʰ of Avraham.” And they will say: “Let us all return (and become) one nation, and let us abolish the Sabbaths, festivals, and new moons from Yisrael,” as Scripture attests: “and he will plan to change times and law” (Daniel 7:25). “Times” refers to festivals and “law” refers to the Torah, as Scripture proves: “a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2). During his reign there will be great distress for Yisrael. (Nevertheless), all whom he exiles will escape to Upper Galilee, as it is written: “for on Mount Ẓíōn and in Jerusalem there will be escape” (Joel 3:5) until he reaches Meron. He will kill some from among Yisrael until he comes (to Damascus), and when he arrives at Damascus, the blessed Holy One will provide assistance and relief to Yisrael. During his reign there will be strife and war in the world: a town will battle with its neighbor, and a city with (another) city, and a people with (another) people, and a nation with (another) nation. There will be no peace for those who go and come, as Scripture says: “I will press humanity hard, and they shall walk about like the blind” (Zephaniah 1:17). The people of Hashem shall suffer dislocation and experience distress for three years, and they will be subject to his power until the end of the three years, as Scripture says: “they will be delivered into his hand for a time, times, and half a time” (Daniel 7:25). “A time” signifies one year, “times” signifies two years, (and) “half a time” signifies half of a year: consequently (after) three [and a half] years the decree and foolishness will be annulled, as Scripture predicts: “and from the time of the suspension of the daily offering and installment of the abomination of desolation—one thousand two hundred and ninety days” (Daniel 12:11). These are the three and a half years. |
וְיַעֲמֹד מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהוּא מֵשִׁיב אוֹתָם לִכְפֹּר — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל יא:לא): ”וְנָתְנוּ הַשִּׁקּוּץ מְשֹׁמֵם“, וְהוּא מוֹלֵךְ שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים. |
There shall arise a king who will turn them to apostasy, as Scripture states: “and they will install the abomination of desolation” (Daniel 11:31). He will rule for three months. |
וְאַחַר כָּךְ עוֹשִׂים בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִלְחָמָה עִם אֲדוֹמִיִּים בְּבִקְעַת עַכּוֹ. וּמִיָּד אַשׁוּרִים בָּאִים עֲלֵיהֶם וְשׁוֹבִים אוֹתָם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כד:כב): ”עַד־מָה אַשּׁוּר תִּשְׁבֶּךָּ“. ”וְצִים מִיַּד כִּתִּים“ (במדבר כד:כב): אֵלוּ אֲדוֹמִיִּים שֶׁהֵם עֲתִידִים לַעֲמֹד בְּאַחַרִית הַיָּמִים. וּכְשֶׁהֵם יוֹצְאִים, כְּגַנָּבִים הֵם יוֹצְאִים — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עובדיה א:ה): ”אִם־גַּנָּבִים בָּאוּ־לְךָ“; וְעוֹשִׂים מִלְחָמָה עִם בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְהוֹרְגִים מֵהֶם הַרְבֵּה; וּמִתְכְּנֵשׁ לְמַשְׁרִית דְּעַכּוֹ, וּמְהַדֵּק פַּרְזְלָא לְחַסְפָּא, וְשָׁקֵיהּ תָּבְרִין לְאֶצְבְּעָתָא, וְעָרְקִין עַרְטִילָאִין בְּלָא סוּסְוָאן. וְיִצְטָרְפוּ לִגְיוֹנוֹת עִמָּם מֵאֱדוֹם וְיָבֹאוּ וְיַעֲשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה בְּבִקְעַת עַכּוֹ, עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁקַע הַסּוּס עַד יְרֵכוֹ בְּדָם. וְיִבְרְחוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁיָּבֹאוּ אֶל בְּקְעַת יְרֵיחוֹ וְשָׁם יַעַמְדוּ, וְיֹאמְרוּ אֶחָד לַחֲבֵרוֹ: אָנָה אֲנַחְנוּ בוֹרְחִים? נָשִׂים פֹּה טַפֵּנוּ וְנָשֵׁינוּ! וְחוֹזְרִים וְעוֹשִׂים מִלְחָמָה אַחֶרֶת בְּבִקְעַת מְגִדּוֹ, וְיִבְרְחוּ אֲדוֹמִים וְעוֹלִים לִסְפִינוֹת. וְתֵצֵא רוּחַ וּתְבִיאֶם לְאַשּׁוּר, וְהֵם מְעַנִּים אַשּׁוּרִים וְעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר. וּלְקֵץ תִּשְׁעָה חֳדָשִׁים יֵצְאוּ בְנֵי אַשּׁוּר וִיאַבְּדוּ אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת־בְּנֵי רוֹמִי – שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כד:כב): ”עַד־מָה אַשּׁוּר תִּשְׁבֶּךָּ“, וּכְשֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה אַשּׁוּרִים יוֹצְאִים וְדוֹרְכִים בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל — עוֹשִׂים הֵם שָׁלוֹם, וְאֵלִיָּהוּ — זָכוּר לְטוֹב! — יוֹצֵא וּמְבַשֵּׂר לָהֶם שָׁלוֹם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מיכה ה:ד): ”וְהָיָה זֶה שָׁלוֹם, אַשּׁוּר כִּי־יָבֹא בְאַרְצֵנוּ“. וּבְנֵי אִיטַלִּיָּה מְבַקְּשִׁים לְהִלָּחֵם עִמָּם, וּבְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל תַּחֲזֹר לָהֶם הַמַּלְכוּת כִּמְעָט; וְאֵין מַסְפִּיקִים לְהוֹצִיא אֶת־נְשֵׁיהֶם עַד שֶׁאַשּׁוּר שׁוֹבִים אוֹתָם. |
After that, the Yishmaelites will do battle with the Èdomites on the plain of Acco, and immediately the Assyrians will come upon them and capture them, as Scripture says: “until Assyria takes you prisoner” (Numbers 24:22). (And as for) “ships from the coast of Kittim” (ibid.), these are the Èdomites who are destined to arise in the last days. When they (eventually) emerge, they will come forth like robbers, as Scripture predicts: “when robbers come against you” (Obadiah 1:5; cf. also Jeremiah 49:9). They will do battle with the Yishmaelites and kill many of them and assemble themselves at the camp at Acco. Iron shall crumble clay, and its leg(s) will break down to the toes, and they will flee naked without horses. (New) legions from Èdom will unite with them, and they will come and do battle on the plain of Acco until a horse sinks to its flank in blood. The children of Yisrael will flee to the plain of Jericho, and there they will pause and ask one another, “To where can we flee? Let us leave (here) our wives (and) our children.” They will return and wage another battle on the plain of Megiddo, and the Èdomites will flee and board ships, and a wind shall come forth and bring them to Assyria. They will oppress the Assyrians and (the region of) upper Mesopotamia, but at the end of nine months the Assyrians shall come forth and destroy the children of Yisrael (sic) and the Romans, as Scripture states: “until Assyria takes you prisoner” (Numbers 24:22). When you see Syrians (?) coming forth and traveling about the land of Yisrael, they will establish peace, and Eliyahu will come forth and proclaim news of peace to them, as Scripture says: “and this will be peace: when Assyria comes into our land” (Micah 5:4). The Italians will seek to wage war with them, and the kingdom will revert to the Yishmaelites for a short while, but they will not have sufficient time to evacuate their wives before Assyria captures them. |
וּמִיָּד בַּת־קוֹל יוֹצֵאת וּמַכְרֶזֶת בְּכׇל־הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁבָּם ישְׂרָאֵל; צְאוּ וְנִקְמוּ נִקְמַת יְיָ בֶּאֱדוֹם! — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כה:יד): ”וְנָתַתִּי אֶת־נִקְמָתִי בֶּאֱדֹם בְּיַד עַמִּי ישְׂרָאֵל“. וּמִיָּד בַּחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נִקְבָּצִים וְנִשְׁמָעִים, וְהֵם מַמְלִיכִים מֶלֶךְ מִזֶּרַע דָּוִד, וְתִפֹּל מַחֲלֹקֶת בֵּין אֵלּוּ לְאֵלּוּ וּבְנֵי אֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל פּוֹשְׁעִים בְּזֶרַע דָּוִד — לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב׳ י:יט): ”וַיִּפְשְׁעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּבֵית דָּוִיד עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה“ — ”עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה“ הוּא יוֹם שֶׁיָּבֹא מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וְאֵלּוּ וְאֵלּוּ בָּאִים וְנֶאֱחָזִים, וּבַת־קוֹל יוֹצֵאת וּמְצַפְצֶפֶת: ”מַה־שֶּׁהָיָה הוּא שֶׁיִהְיֶה“ (קהלת א:ט): הוּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בַּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהָיָה קֹדֶם בְּרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם וְהוּא שֶׁעָתִיד לִהְיוֹת אַחַר אִבּוּד הָעוֹלָם; ”וּמַה־שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה הוּא שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂה“ — וְהִיא מְשִׁיבָה וְאוֹמֶרֶת: כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לִירִיחוֹ וּלְמַלְכָּהּ, כֵּן עֲשׂוּ בְּאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם! וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים: אֵין עִמָּנוּ אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיָה עִם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ! וְהִיא מְשִׁיבָה לָהֶם: לֹא הָיָה בָאָרוֹן אֶלָּא שְׁנֵי לוּחוֹת הָאֲבָנִים, וְחוֹתָמַן — ”שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל“! מִיָּד הֵם מַתְרִיעִים בִּתְרוּעָה גְדוֹלָה וְאוֹמְרִים: ”שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְיָ אֶחָד!“ וְהֵם סוֹבְבִים אֶת־יְרִיחוֹ וּמִיָּד הַחוֹמָה נוֹפֶלֶת תַּחְתֶּיהָ, וְנִכְנָסִים לְתוֹכָהּ וּמוֹצְאִים הַבַּחוּרִים מֵתִים בִּרְחוֹבוֹתֶיהָ — לְקַיֵּם מַה־שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה נ:ל): ”לָכֵן יִפְּלוּ בַחוּרֶיהָ בִּרְחֹבֹתֶיהָ וְכׇל אַנְשֵׁי מִלְחַמְתָּהּ יִדַּמּוּ“, — וְהֵם הוֹרְגִים בְּתוֹכָהּ שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה לֵילוֹת, וְאַחַר כָּךְ קוֹבְצִים אֶת־כׇּל־שְׁלָלָהּ אֶל־תּוֹךְ־רְחוֹבָהּ. וּשְׁמוּעָה בָאָה עֲלֵיהֶם מֵאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּפוֹחֲדִים פַּחַד גָּדוֹל. |
Suddenly a heavenly voice will come forth and proclaim in all the places where the Yisraelites are: “Issue forth and enact the vengeance of God against Èdom!” For Scripture says: “I will enact my vengeance against Èdom by the agency of my people Yisrael” (Ezekiel 25:14). Immediately the young men of the Yisraelites will band together and obey, and they will recognize as king over them a Davidide ruler. (However), dissension will break out among them, and the inhabitants of the land of Yisrael will rebel against the descendant of David, (a reaction) which will confirm what Scripture says: “and Yisrael has rebelled against the house of David until this day” (2 Chronicles 10:19): “until this day” signifies the day when the royal messiah comes. The contending parties will come and take hold of one another, and a heavenly voice will come forth and whistle: “‘what has been is what will be’ (Qohelet 1:9)—the blessed Holy One existed before the creation of the universe, and He will continue to exist after the destruction of the universe; ‘what He has already done is what He will do’ (ibid.).” It (the heavenly voice) will continue: “Just as Yehoshua did to Jericho and its ruler, so do to the nations of the world!” They shall respond: “The ark of the covenant is not with us as it was with Yehoshua!” It (the heavenly voice) will answer them, “There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets (of the Law) and their seal ‘Shema‘ Yisrael’!” Immediately they will burst out with a great shout and say, “Hear, O Yisrael! Hashem is our Èlōăhʰ; Hashem is One!” (Deuteronomy 6:4). They will encircle Jericho, and the wall will collapse at once. They will enter within her and find young men dead in her squares so as to affirm what Scripture states: “truly her young men will fall in her squares, and all her warriors will perish” (Jeremiah 50:30). They will engage in slaughter for three days and three nights, and afterwards they will collect all her spoil in the midst of her square. But (then) news will come to them from the Land of Yisrael, and they will be very fearful.’ |
וְעֹד שַבְתִּי לִתְפִלָּה לִפְנֵי יְיָ בְּצוֹם וְשַׂק וָאֵפֶר, עַד שֶׁרָאִיתִי וְהִנֵּה יָד נָגְעָה בִי וַתַּעֲמִידֵנִי עַל רַגְלָי. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָי: שְׁאַל לְךָ, אִישׁ צַדִּיק, מַה־תִּשְׁאָל! וָאֶשְׁאָלֵהוּ וָאֹמַר לוֹ: וּבְאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה כֵּיצַד יִתְקַבְּצוּ כׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ? וְאֵיךְ תִּהְיֶה יְצִיאָתָם מִתַּחַת יַד הַמַּלְכֻיּוֹת? וְאִם יוֹצְאִים, לְאָן הֵם יוֹצְאִים? וְכֵיצַד תִּהְיֶה הֲלִיכָתָם? וּמַה־יּוּכְלוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת? — אֶרְצֶה שֶׁתַּגִּיד לִי הַדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶם עַד סוֹף כׇּל־הַדָּבָר. |
Again I returned to my prayer before Hashem while fasting and (garbed in) sackcloth and ashes until I had seen (a vision?). Behold, a hand touched me and stood me up on my feet, and he said to me, ‘Ask, O righteous one, what you would ask!’ So I asked him (and) said to him, ‘At the end of these things, how will all Yisrael be gathered together from the four corners of the earth? How will their escape from the control of the kingdoms take place? When they depart, to where will they go? How will their journey transpire? What will they be able to do? I want you to tell me about these things and others like them until the conclusion of the matter.’ |
וַיַּעֲנֵנִי מִדַּלְתוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וַיֹּאמֶר לִי: בְּאַחַרִית מַלְכוּת בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל יֵצְאוּ הָרוֹמִיִּים עַל יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְעוֹשִׂים מִלְחָמָה עִם בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, וְהָאָרֶץ תִּכָּבֵשׁ לִפְנֵיהֶם, וְהֵם בָּאִים בְּתוֹכָהּ וְהוֹרְגִים בָּהּ הַרְבֵּה מִבְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וּמַפִּילִים בָּהּ חֲלָלִים הַרְבֵּה, וְשׁוֹבִים מִבְּנוֹת יִשְׁמָעֵאל שִׁבְיָה גְדוֹלָה, וּמוֹצִיאִים מוֹחוֹת מֵהַתִּינָקוֹת, וְשׁוֹחֲטִים בֶּכׇל־יוֹם תִּינָקוֹת לְיֵשׁוּ. וּבְאוֹתָהּ הָעֵת יֵצַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְאֹד. וּבְאוֹתוֹ זְמָן יָעִיר יְיָ שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיָבֹאוּ לִירוּשָׁלִַם עִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ; וְיִמְצְאוּ בַתּוֹרָה כָּתוּב (שמות יג:כא): ”וַייָ הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן“, וְעוֹד כָּתוּב (ישעיה נב:יב): ”כִּי־הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיכֶם יְיָ וּמְאַסִּפְכֶם אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל“, — וְהֵם מְהַלְּכִים בָּעָב וּבַעֲרָפֶל. וְיַעֲשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה עִם הָאֲדוֹמִיִּים וְיַהַרְגוּ מֵהֶם הֶרֶג רָב, וְיֵצֵא שְׁמָם בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁבָּאוּ הַשְּׁבָטִים. וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יִתְקַיֵּם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הַפָּסוּק (דניאל יב:א): ”וְהָיְתָה עֵת צָרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא נִהְיְתָה מִהְיוֹת גּוֹי עַד הָעֵת הַהִיא, וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יִמָּלֵט עַמְּךָ כׇּל־הַנִּמְצָא כָתוּב בַּסֵּפֶר“, וְיַעַמְדוּ הָאֻמּוֹת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוֹרְגִים מֵהֶם הֶרֶג רָב, וּפושְׁעִים מֵעַם הָאָרֶץ הַרְבֵּה, וּמְעַנִּים בִּכְבָלִים הַרְבֵּה מִן הַחֲסִידִים כְּדֵי לַעֲזֹב תּוֹרַת יְיָ. |
He responded to me from the doors of heaven, saying to me: ‘At the end of the kingdom of the Yishmaelites, the Romans will go forth against Jerusalem and make war with the Yishmaelites. The land will be subdued by them. They will enter it (i.e., Jerusalem) and slaughter many Yishmaelites and cast down numerous corpses in it. They will capture a great many Yishmaelite women and dash out the brains of the children. Each day they will sacrifice children to Jesus. At that time Yisrael (too) will suffer much distress, and at that moment Hashem will arouse the tribes of Yisrael and they will come to Jerusalem, the holy city. They will discover that it is written in the Torah: “Hashem was traveling before them daily in a column of cloud(s)” (Exod 13:21), and it is also written “for Hashem will travel before you, and the Èlōăhʰ of Yisrael will guard your rear” (Isaiah 52:12). They will journey in the company of thick clouds, engage the Èdomites in battle, and kill a large number of them. News about them—“the tribes have come!”—will spread throughout the world. At that time the verse pertaining to Yisrael will be fulfilled: “There will be a time of trouble the like of which has not occurred since you became a nation, and at that time all of your people who(se names) are found inscribed in the book will be delivered” (Daniel 12:1). The nations will rise up against Yisrael and effect a great massacre among them, and many of the unlearned will apostatize. They will torture with chains many of the pious so as to (make them) abandon the Torah of Hashem. |
וְעוֹד הֵם בְּזוֹ הַצָּרָה יָמִים מְעַטִּים יָבִיא יְיָ רוּחַ גָּדוֹל וְחָזָק וְרַעַם גָּדוֹל וְעָב שָׁחוֹר שֶׁלֹא נִרְאָה בָּעוֹלָם כָּמוֹהוּ, וּמִתּוֹךְ אוֹתוֹ הָרוּחַ יִפַזֵר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַשְּׁבָטִים בְּכׇל־עִיר וָעִיר — וַעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר (ישעיה סח): ”מִי־אֵלֶּה כָּעָב תְּעוּפֶינָה?“, וְיִתְקַבְּצוּ מִיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל יְרוּשָלִַם מְעַט אֲנָשִׁים, וְלֹא יִמְצְאוּ לָחֶם, וְיַחֲזִיר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הַחוֹל סֹלֶת, — וְעַל הָעֵת הַהִיא נֶאֱמַר (תהלים עב:טז): ”יְהִי פִסַּת־בַּר בָּאָרֶץ בְּרֹאש הָרִים“. וְיַעֲמֹד נְחֶמְיָה בֶּן־חוּשִׁיאֵל וְעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתוֹת בִּדְבַר יָיָ. וְיַעֲמֹד מֶלֶךְ כּוֹפֵר בְּדִין וּמַרְאָה עַצְמוֹ כְּעוֹבֵד יְיָ וְלִבּוֹ לֹא נָכוֹן עִמּוֹ. וְיֵצֵא זַעַם גָּדוֹל בָּעוֹלָם וְיִפְחֲדוּ מִמֶּנוּ כׇּל־הָעוֹלָם. וְיִתְקַבְּצוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־נְחֶמְיָה בֶּן־חוּשִׁיאֵל. וּמֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם יַשְׁלִים עִמּוֹ, וְיַהֲרֹג כׇּל־הַמְּדִינוֹת אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם, כְּגוֹן טְבַרְיָה וְדַמֶּשֶׂק וְאַשְׁקְלוֹן. וְיִשְׁמְעוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם וְתִפֹּל עֲלֵיהֶם אֵימָה וָפַחַד. |
And after they have endured this distress for a short time, Hashem will bring a great and strong wind, a mighty earthquake, and a cloud so dark that its equal has never appeared before in the world, and from the midst of that wind the blessed Holy One will disperse the tribes in each and every city. With regard to them it has been said, “Who are these who fly about like a cloud?” (Isaiah 60:8). A few persons from Yisrael will gather together in Jerusalem, but they will find no food, and the blessed Holy One will transform the sand into fine flour for Yisrael, and with regard to this time it has been said: “Let there be an abundance of grain in the land on the top(s) of mountains” (Psalms 72:16). Neḥemiah ben Ḥushiel will arise and perform miracles in accordance with the word of Hashem. A ruler will arise and become a religious heretic: he will make himself appear to be a servant of Hashem, but his heart will not be truly with Him. A mighty thundering will go forth throughout the world, and the whole world will fear it. Yisrael will gather themselves to Neḥemiah ben Ḥushiel. The ruler of Egypt will make a pact with him, and he (Neḥemiah?) will effect a slaughter in all the cities surrounding Jerusalem, such as Tiberias, Damascus, and Ashkelon. The nations of the world will hear (about this), and terror and panic will fall upon them. |
וְהָאוֹת אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בְּאוֹתָהּ הָעֵת, כִּי הַכּוֹכָבִים יֵרָאוּ בְדָם, — וְעַל אוֹתָהּ הָעֵת נֶאֱמַר (יואל ג:ד): ”הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יֵהָפֵךְ לְחֹשֶׁךְ וְהַיָּרֵחַ לְדָם“. וּמְשַׁלֵּחַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוא בְּאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם מַכּוֹת עֶשֶֹר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁלַח בְּמִצְרַיִם — לְקַיֵּם מַה־שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה יא:יא): ”וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יוֹסִיף אֲדֹנָי שֵׁנִית יָדוֹ לִקְנוֹת אֶת־שְׁאָר עַמּוֹ“. |
The sign which will occur at that time (is) that the stars will appear in blood, and about that time it has been said, “The sun will be changed into darkness, and the moon to blood” (Joel 3:4). The blessed Holy One will send ten plagues against the nations of the world just like the ones He sent against Egypt so as to affirm what Scripture has said: “On that day Hashem will again manifest His power—for a second time—in order to acquire the remnant of His people” (Isaiah 11:11). |
אָמְרוּ שֶׁיֵשׁ בְּרוֹמִי אֶבֶן שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ, וְהִיא דְּמוּת נַעֲרָה יָפָה, בְּרוּאָה מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית, וּבָאִין בְּנֵי בְלִיַּעַל מֵאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם וְשׁוֹכְבִין אִתָּהּ, וּמִתְעַבֶּרֶת, וּלְקֵץ תִּשְׁעָה חֳדָשִׁים מִתְבַּקַּעַת וְיוֹצֵא מִמֶּנָּה זָכָר בִּדְמוּת אָדָם, אָרְכּוֹ שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה וְרָחְבּוֹ שְׁתֵּי אַמּוֹת, וְעֵינָיו אֲדֻמּוֹת־עֲקֻמּוֹת, שְׁעַר רֹאשׁוֹ אָדֹם כַּזָּהָב וּפַעֲמֵי רַגְלָיו יָרֻקִּים, וְיֵשׁ־לוֹ שְׁנֵי קָדְקֳדִים, וְקוֹרְאִים אוֹתוֹ אַרְמִילוּס. וְיָבֹא אֵצֶל אֱדוֹם וְיֹאמַר לָהֶם: מְשִׁיחֲכֶם אָנִי, אֲנִי הוּא אֱלֹהֵיכֶם! וּמִיָּד הֵם מַאֲמִינִים בּו וְהֵם מַמְלִיכִים אוֹתוֹ. וּמִתְחַבְּרִים כׇּל־בְּנֵי עֵשָׂו וּבָאִים אֶצְלוֹ, וְהוֹלֵךְ וּמְבַשֵּׂר לְכׇל הַמְּדִינוֹת, וְאוֹמֵר לִבְנֵי עֵשָׂו: הָבִיאוּ לִי תוֹרָתִי שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לִפְנֵיכֶם! מִיָּד בָּאִים אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם וְהֵם מְבִיאִים סֵפֶר… וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם: הוּא שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לִפְנֵיכֶם! וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם: אֲנִי הוּא אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וַאֲנִי מְשִׁיחֲכֶם! |
They say that in Rome there is a marble statue in the shape of a beautiful maiden (which) was made during the six days of the creation-week. Worthless scoundrels from the nations of the world will come and have intercourse with it, it will become pregnant, and at the end of nine months it will split open and a male in the form of a human being will emerge. He will be twelve cubits long and two cubits wide, his eyes will be red (and) crooked, the hair of his head will be red like gold, and the soles of his feet will be green. He will have two heads, and they will call him Armilos. He will come to Èdom and announce to them, “I am your messiah; I am your god!” Although he is misleading them, they will instantly believe him and they will install him as king, and all the descendants of Ésav will join together and come to him. He will travel about and announce in all the cities and say to the descendants of Ésav, “Bring me my scripture which I have given to you,” and again the nations of the world will come and bring a book … and he will say to them, “This is (indeed) what I have given to you,” and he will reiterate to them “I am your god” and “I am your messiah and your god!” |
וּבְאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה מְשַׁגֵּר לִנְחֶמְיָה וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם: הָבִיאוּ לִי תוֹרַתְכֶם וְהָעִידוּ לִי שֶׁאֲנִי אֵל! וּמִיָּד כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל תּוֹמְהִים וּמִתְפַּחֲדִים. וּבְאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה יַעֲמֹד נְחֶמְיָה וּשְׁלֹשָׁה אֲנָשִׁים עִמּוֹ מִבְּנֵי אֶפְרַיִם וְהוֹלְכִים עִמּוֹ וְסֵפֶר־תּוֹרָה עִמָּם, וְקוֹרְאִים לְפָנָיו: ”אָנֹכִי, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ“; וְהוּא אוֹמֵר: אֵין בְּתוֹרַתְכֶם כְּלוּם מִזֶּה, וְאֵינִי מַנִּיחַ אֶתְכֶם עַד שֶׁתַּאֲמִינוּ שֶׁאֲנִי אֱלוֹהַּ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהֶאֱמִינוּ בִי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם. וּמִיָּד עוֹמֵד כְּנֶגְדּוֹ נְחֶמְיָה וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ: אֵין אַתָּה אֱלוֹהַ, אֶלָּא שָׂטָן! וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם: מַדּוּעַ כִּזַּבְתֶּם בִּי? אֲצַוֶּה לַהֲרֹג אֶתְכֶם! וְאוֹמֵר לַעֲבָדָיו: תִּפְשֹוּהוּ לִנְחֶמְיָה! וּמִיָּד יָקוּם נְחֶמְיָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף גִבּוֹרִים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל וְעוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ מִלְחָמָה וְהוֹרֵג מִמַּחֲנֵה אַרְמִילוּס מָאתַיִם אָלֶף. וְיֶחֱרֶה אַף אַרְמִילוּס וִיקַבֵּץ כׇּל־חֵילֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם וְעוֹשֶׂה מִלְחָמָה עִם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוֹרֵג מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל אֶלֶף אֲלָפִים, וְעוֹד הוֹרֵג נְחֶמְיָה בְּעֵת צָהֳרָיִם, — וְעַל אוֹתָהּ הָעֵת נֶאֶמַר (עמוס ח:ט): ”וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְיָ, וְהֵבֵאתִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בַּצָּהֳרָיִם, וְהַחֲשַׁכְתִּי לְאָרֶץ בְּיוֹם אוֹר“. וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל יִבְרְחוּ אֶל מִדְבַּר הָעַמִּים וְיֵשְׁבוּ שָׁם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וַחֲמִשָּׁה יָמִים בְּלֹא לֶחֶם וְלֹא מַיִם, כִּי אִם עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה יִהְיֶה מַאֲכָלָם. וּלְאַחַר חֲמִשָּׁה וְאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם יָבֹא אַרְמִילוּס וְיִלָּחֵם בְּמַצְרַיִם וְיִלְכְּדָהּ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל יא:מב): ”וְאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לֹא תִהְיֶה לִפְלֵיטָה“, — וּמֵשִׂים פָּנָיו אֶל יָרוּשָׁלִַם לְהַחֲרִיבָהּ פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל יא:מה): ”וְיִטַּע אָהֳלֵי אַפַּדְנוֹ בֵּין יַמִים לְהַר צְבִי־קֹדֶשׁ, וּבָא עַד קִצּוֹ וְאֵין עוֹזֵר לוֹ“. |
At that time he will send for Neḥemiah and all Yisrael, and he will say to them: “Bring me your Torah and testify to me that I am El !” Immediately all Yisrael will be astonished and intimidated, and at that time Neḥemiah will arise, along with three men from the tribe of Ephraim, and they will come bearing a sefer Torah with them. They will read aloud before him: “I am (Hashem your Èlōăhʰ …)” and “You shall not have (any other gods before Me).” He will retort, “None of this can be in your Torah! I will give you no rest until you believe that I am Èlōăhʰ in the same way that the nations of the world believe in me!” Immediately Neḥemiah will arise to confront him, and he will say to him, “You are not Èlōăhʰ, but Šatan!” He (Armilos) will say to them, “Why do you lie about me? I could give the order to execute you,” and then will command his servants, “Seize Neḥemiah!” Immediately he (Neḥemiah) will arise along with 30,000 warriors from Yisrael and do battle with him, and he will slay 200,000 from the camp of Armilos. Enraged, Armilos will gather all the forces of the nations of the world and make war on the Yisraelite people and kill 1,000,000 Yisraelites, and he will even kill Neḥemiah at midday. Concerning this time it has been said: “And it will come to pass on that day—so says Adonai Hashem—that I shall make the sun set at midday, and I shall darken the earth on a bright day” (Amos 8:9). Those Yisraelites who remain alive will flee into the ‘desert of the peoples’ and remain there for forty-five days without food or water, with only wild grass to serve as their sustenance. After forty-five days have passed, Armilos will invade and make war against Egypt and capture it, as Scripture attests: “even the land of Egypt will not be a refuge” (Daniel 11:42). Then he will turn back and set his face toward Jerusalem in order to devastate it a second time, as Scripture states: “he will pitch the canopies of his pavilion between the seas at the splendid mountain of holiness; however, he will have reached his limit, and no one will aid him” (Daniel 11:45). |
”וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יַעֲמֹד מִיכָאֵל הַשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל“ (דניאל יב:א). וְתוֹקֵעַ בַּשּׁוֹפָר שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כז:יג): ”וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִתָּקָע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל“ — וְאוֹתוֹ שוֹפָר הוּא קֶרֶן יָמִין שֶׁל אֵיל יִצְחָק, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַאֲרִיךְ אוֹתוֹ עַד אֶלֶף אַמָּה. וְתוֹקֵעַ תְּקִיעָה וּמִתְגַלֶּה מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן־דָּוִד וְאֵלִיָּהוּ. וְהוֹלְכִים שְׁנֵיהֶם אֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵם בְּמִדְבַּר הָעֲמִּים, וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם אֵלִיָּהוּ: זֶה הוּא הַמָּשִׁיחַ! וּמֵשִׁיב אֶת־לִבָּם וּמְחַזֵּק אֶת־יָדָם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל לה:ג-ד): ”חַזְּקוּ יָדַיִם רָפוֹת וּבִרְכַּיִם כֹּשְׁלוֹת אַמֵּצוּ, אִמְרוּ לְנִמְהֲרֵי־לֵב: חִזְקוּ, אַל־תִּירָאוּ!“ — וְיִשְׁמְעוּ כׇּל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי פָדָה יְיָ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה לא:יא): ”כִּי־פָדָה יְיָ אֶת־יַעֲקֹב וּגְאָלוֹ מִיַּד חָזָק מִמֶּנוּ“, — ”וּבָאוּ הָאֹבְדִים בְּאֶרֶץ אַשּׁוּר וְהַנִּדָּחִים בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם“ (ישעיה כז:יג). וּמִיָּד נוֹפֵל פַּחַד יְיָ בָּעַמִּים וְעַל כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִם. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל חוֹזְרִים עִם הַמָּשִׁיחַ, עַד שֶׁיָּבֹאוּ לְמִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה וּמִתְוַעְדִים עִם כׇּל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיָבֹאוּ אֶל יְרוּשָלִַם, וְיַעֲלוּ בְּמַעֲלוֹת בֵּית דָּוִד הַנִּשְׁאָרוֹת מִן הַהֶרֶס, וְיֵשֶׁב שָׁם הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וְיִשְׁמַע אַרְמִילוּס כִּי עָמַד לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מֶלֶךְ, וִיקַבֵּץ חֵילוֹת־כׇּל־אֻמּוֹת־הָעוֹלָם וְיָבֹאוּ לְמֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל. |
At that time Michael the great prince will stand and blow three blasts on the shofar, as Scripture attests: “and it will come to pass on that day that he will blow a great trumpet (shofar)” (Isaiah 27:13). That shofar is (actually made from) the right horn of the ram of Yitsḥaq, which the blessed Holy One will lengthen until it is one thousand cubits long. He will blow a strong blast, and the Messiah of the lineage of David and Eliyahu will be revealed. Both of them will journey to where Yisrael is in the ‘desert of the peoples.’ To them Eliyahu will announce, “Here is the Messiah,” and he will restore their hearts and strengthen their hands, as Scripture states: “Strengthen (your) wavering hands and fortify (your) faltering knees! Say to the anxious ones, ‘Be strong and unafraid!’” (Isaiah 35:3-4). All of the Yisraelite people will hear the sound of the shofar blowing, and they will know that He has redeemed Yisrael, as Scripture says: “for Hashem has ransomed Yaaqov (and redeemed him from the power of one stronger than he)” (Jeremiah 31:11). “Those who were lost in the land of Assyria will come, (as well as those who were wandering in the land of Egypt)” (Isaiah 27:13). Fear of Hashem will instantly fall upon the peoples and upon all the nations. Yisrael will come back with the Messiah until they reach the wilderness of Judaea, and they will rendezvous there with all of Yisrael and enter Jerusalem together. They will climb the steps of the House of David—those that remain from the destruction—and the Messiah will sit down there. Armilos will hear that a king has appeared in Yisrael, and he will collect the forces of all the nations of the earth, and they will advance against the King Messiah and Yisrael. |
וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִלָּחֵם בְּעַד יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאוֹמֵר לַמָּשִׁיחַ: ”שֵׁב לִימִינִי!“ (תהלים קי:א): וְהַמָּשִׁיחַ אוֹמֵר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: ”הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת־יְשׁוּעַת יְיָ!“ (שמות יד:יג): וּמִיָּד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹצֵא וְנִלְחָם בָּם — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה יד:ג): ”וְיָצָא יְיָ וְנִלְחַם בַּגּוֹיִם הָהֵם“… וְכָתוּב (צפניה ג:כ): ”בָּעֵת הַהִיא אָבִיא אֶתְכֶם וּבָעֵת קַבְּצִי אֶתְכֶם, כִּי אֶתֵּן אֶתְכֶם לְשֵׁם וְלִתְהִלָּה בְּכֹל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ!“ |
The blessed Holy One will fight on behalf of Yisrael. He will say to the Messiah, “Sit at My right hand” (Psalms 110:1), and the Messiah will say to Yisrael, “Assemble yourselves and ‘stand aside and witness Hashem’s deliverance’!” (Exod 14:13). Immediately the blessed Holy One will go forth and do battle with them, as Scripture promises: “Hashem will go forth and do battle with those nations” (Zechariah 14:3), and it is recorded in Scripture: “At that time I will bring you, and at that time I will gather you; for I will make you famous and an object of praise for all the peoples of the earth” (Zephaniah 3:20).’ |
אָמֵן! יְקָרַב אוֹתָהּ הָעֵת וְאוֹתוֹ הַזְּמָן! |
Amen! May that time and that occasion be soon! |
This is the text of Tefilat Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai as found in Yehudah Even-Shmuel’s Midrashei Ge’ulah (1954). We have set this text opposite the translation by Dr. John C. Reeves (based on the text published by Adolph Jellineck. Dr. Reeves introduces his translation of Nistarot Rebbi Shimōn ben Yoḥai with the following note:
Translated from the text published in Adolph Jellinek, ed., Bet ha-Midrasch: Sammlung kleiner Midraschim und vermischter Abhandlungen aus der jüdischen Literatur (6 vols.; Leipzig, 1853-77; repr., Jerusalem: Bamberger & Wahrmann, 1938), 4:117-26. Jellinek’s text was in turn reproduced, emended, and supplemented by Yehudah Even-Shmuel, Midreshey ge’ullah (2d ed.; Jerusalem: Mosad Bialik, 1954), 268-86. For discussion of this work, see Moses Buttenwieser, Outline of the Neo-Hebraic Apocalyptic Literature (Cincinnati: Jennings & Pye, 1901), 41. An important translation and study was prepared by Bernard Lewis, “An Apocalyptic Vision of Islamic History,” BSOAS 13 (1949-51): 308-38; its main arguments are accepted by Salo M. Baron, A Social and Religious History of the Jews (18 vols.; 2d ed.; New York and Philadelphia: Columbia University Press and the Jewish Publication Society, 1952-83), 3:93, 274 n.27.
I have re-Hebraicized divine names and proper names in Dr. Reeves translation (e.g., ‘Abraham’ to ‘Avraham’). I have also changed “the Holy One, blessed be he” to “the blessed Holy One” for הקב״ה.
Notes
| 1 | Whereas Secrets appears to emerge from the turbulent period marking the transition from Umayyad to ‘Abbāsid suzerainty over Islamicate Jewry, Prayer contains clear references to events associated with the era of the Crusades. See Adolph Jellinek, ed., Bet ha-Midrasch: Sammlung kleiner Midraschim und vermischter Abhandlungen aus der jüdischen Literatur (6 vols.; Leipzig, 1853-77; repr., Jerusalem: Bamberger & Wahrmann, 1938), 4:viii-ix; Heinrich Graetz, Geschichte der Juden von den ältesten Zeiten bis auf die Gegenwart (3d ed.; 11 vols. in 13; Leipzig: Oskar Leiner, 1890-1908), 5:413. |
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| 2 | It seems doubtful that this is the genuine title. Note the opening words of the text below (‘secrets and revelations’); also Moritz Steinschneider, “Apokalypsen mit polemischer Tendenz,” ZDMG 28 (1874): 635. |
| 3 | Jellinek, BHM 4:117-26. |
| 4 | Yehudah Even-Shmuel, Midreshey Ge’ullah (2d ed.; Jerusalem: Mosad Bialik, 1954), 268-86. |
| 5 | For discussion of this work, see Moses Buttenwieser, Outline of the Neo-Hebraic Apocalyptic Literature (Cincinnati: Jennings & Pye, 1901), 41. An important translation and study was prepared by Bernard Lewis, “An Apocalyptic Vision of Islamic History,” BSOAS 13 (1949-51): 308-38; its main arguments are accepted by Salo M. Baron, A Social and Religious History of the Jews (18 vols.; 2d ed.; New York and Philadelphia: Columbia University Press and the Jewish Publication Society, 1952-83), 3:93, 274 n.27. |
“תְּפִלַּת רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן־יוֹחַאי | Tefilat Rabbi Shimōn ben Yoḥai (ca. 12th c.)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license.
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