Avodah Zarah, Daf Bet, Part 4
Introduction
Rome is the first to enter in front of God.
[מיד] נכנסה לפניו מלכות רומי תחלה. מ"ט? משום דחשיבא. ומנלן דחשיבא? דכתי’ (דניאל ז, כג) ותאכל כל ארעא ותדושינה ותדוקינה אמר רבי יוחנן זו רומי חייבת שטבעה יצא בכל העולם.
Thereupon the Kingdom of Rome entered first. Why first? Because they are the most important. How do we know they are most important? Because it is written: And he shall devour the whole earth and shall tread it down and break it in pieces (Daniel 7:23) and R. Yohanan says: This refers to Rome, whose power is known to the whole world.
The first kingdom to enter is Rome, for they were the most powerful nation in the world, certainly at the time of the rabbis.
ומנא לן דמאן דחשיב עייל ברישא? כדרב חסדא דאמר רב חסדא מלך וצבור מלך נכנס תחלה לדין שנאמר (מלכים א ח, נט) לעשות משפט עבדו ומשפט עמו ישראל [וגו’]
וטעמא מאי? איבעית אימא לאו אורח ארעא למיתב מלכא מאבראי. ואיבעית אימא מקמי דליפוש חרון אף.
And from where do we know that the most important ones come in [for judgment] first? This is in accordance with R. Hisda, for R. Hisda said: When a king and a community appear before the [Heavenly] tribunal, the king enters first, as it is said: To perform the sentence of his servant [King Solomon] and [then] the sentence of His people Israel. And what is the reason? You may say, because it is not the way of the world that a king should wait outside; or you may say [in order that the king shall plead] before the anger [of the Judge] is roused.
This section answers why the most important party comes in for judgement first. It follows the pattern of the king standing trial before the community does. This is either due to the respect owed to the king or to allow the king to stand trial before God s full anger is aroused.
אמר להם הקב"ה במאי עסקתם? אומרים לפניו רבש"ע הרבה שווקים תקנינו הרבה מרחצאות עשינו הרבה כסף וזהב הרבינו וכולם לא עשינו אלא בשביל ישראל כדי שיתעסקו בתורה
The Holy Blessed One will then say to them: With what have you occupied yourselves? They will reply: Master of the Universe, we have established many market-places, we have built many bathhouses, we have accumulated much gold and silver, and all this we did only for the sake of Israel, that they might [have leisure] for occupying themselves with the study of the Torah.
The Kingdom of Rome was certainly known for being great and wealthy builders in the ancient world. They come in front of God and claim to have done so all for the sake of Israel. They worked so that Israel could study Torah.
אמר להם הקב"ה שוטים שבעולם! כל מה שעשיתם לצורך עצמכם עשיתם. תקנתם שווקים, להושיב בהן זונות; מרחצאות, לעדן בהן עצמכם; כסף וזהב שלי הוא שנאמר (חגי ב, ח) לי הכסף ולי הזהב נאם ה’ צבאות.
כלום יש בכם מגיד זאת שנאמר "מי בכם יגיד זאת" ואין זאת אלא תורה שנאמר (דברים ד, מד) וזאת התורה אשר שם משה מיד יצאו בפחי נפש.
The Holy Blessed One will say in reply: You foolish ones in the world, all that which you have done, you have only done to satisfy your own desires. You have established marketplaces to place prostitutes in them; baths, to delight yourself in them; silver and gold, that is mine, as it is said: Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold, says the Lord of Hosts (Haggai 2:8). Are there any among you who have been declaring this? As it is said, Who among you declares this? (Isaiah 43:9). And this is nothing but Torah, as it is said: And this is the Torah which Moses set before the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 4:44). They will then depart crushed in spirit.
God denies all of their claims as to having done anything for Israel. All they did, they did for themselves. The verses in Isaiah 43:9 which began the derashah continues with the phrase, Who among you declares this? and this is interpreted as referring to Torah. Thus only a nation that actually occupies itself with Torah will be justified.