Avodah Zarah, Daf Gimmel, Part 2

 

Introduction

At the end of yesterday s section, God said that the heavens and the earth would testify that Israel has observed the Torah. Today s section begins with the response of the nations.

 

אומרים לפניו: רבש"ע, שמים וארץ נוגעין בעדותן, שנאמ’: +ירמיהו לג+ אם לא בריתי יומם ולילה חוקות שמים וארץ לא שמתי! (דאר"ש) +מסורת הש"ס: [ואר"ש]+ בן לקיש, מאי דכתיב: +בראשית א+ ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום הששי? מלמד שהתנה הקדוש ברוך הוא עם מעשה בראשית, ואמר: אם ישראל מקבלין את תורתי – מוטב, ואם לאו – אני אחזיר אתכם לתוהו ובוהו; (והיינו דאמר חזקיה) +מסורת הש"ס: [ואמר חזקיה]+ מאי דכתיב: +תהלים עו+ משמים השמעת דין ארץ יראה ושקטה? אם יראה, למה שקטה? ואם שקטה, למה יראה? אלא בתחלה יראה ולבסוף שקטה!

 

Then they will say: Master of the Universe, Heaven and Earth are partial witnesses, for it is said, If I have not made My covenant with day and with night and established the laws of heaven and earth (Jeremiah 33:25). And R. Shimon b. Lakish further said: What is it that is written, And there was evening and there was morning the sixth day? (Genesis 1:31). This teaches that God made a condition with the works of creation, saying, If Israel accept my Law it will be well, but if not, I shall reduce you to a state of chaos. And this resonates with R Hezekiah who said, You caused sentence to be heard from Heaven, the earth trembled and was still (Psalms 76:9). If the earth trembled, how could it be still, and if it was still, how could it tremble? Rather at first it trembled, and subsequently it became still.

 

All of these sources and derashot prove that the existence of heaven and earth depend on Israel performing the commandments. This makes them partial witnesses, who are not likely to testify that Israel did not perform the commandments. The notion that the world depends on the performance of the commandments is one found throughout rabbinic literature. The mitzvoth have cosmic importance.

 

אמר להם הקדוש ברוך הוא: מכם יבאו ויעידו בהן בישראל שקיימו את התורה כולה, יבא נמרוד ויעיד באברהם שלא עבד עבודת כוכבים, יבא לבן ויעיד ביעקב שלא נחשד על הגזל, תבא אשת פוטיפרע ותעיד ביוסף שלא נחשד על העבירה, יבא נבוכד נצר ויעיד בחנניה מישאל ועזריה שלא השתחוו לצלם, יבא דריוש ויעיד בדניאל שלא ביטל את התפלה, יבא בלדד השוחי וצופר הנעמתי ואליפז התימני (ואליהו בן ברכאל הבוזי) ויעידו בהם בישראל שקיימו את כל התורה כולה, שנאמר: +ישעיהו מג+ יתנו עידיהם ויצדקו.

 

Then the Holy Blessed One will say: You yourselves shall testify that Israel observed the entire Torah. Let Nimrod come and testify that Abraham did not worship idols; let Lavan come and testify that Jacob was not suspected of theft; let Potiphar’s wife testify that Joseph was not suspected of sinning; let Nebuchadnezzar come and testify that Hanania, Mishael and Azariah did not bow down to an image; let Darius come and testify that Daniel never neglected the prayers; let Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and Eliphaz the Temanite [and Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite] testify that Israel has observed the whole Torah; as it is said, Let them [the nations] bring their [own] witnesses, that they [Israel] may be justified (Isaiah 43:9).

 

God responds that non-Jews themselves can testify that Israelites did not sin. The aggadah now lists some well-known non-Jews throughout history who interacted with various Israelites who did not sin. Most of these are probably familiar episodes. Bildad, Zophar and Eliphaz are the friends of Job who urge him to curse God. Job does not. (Elihu son of Barachel is also a friend of Job, but according to another section of the Talmud, he was Jewish).

This brings us back to the verse from Isaiah 43:9 which is the backbone of the entire derashah.

אמרו לפניו: רבש"ע, תנה לנו מראש ונעשנה, אמר להן הקדוש ברוך הוא שוטים שבעולם, מי שטרח בערב שבת יאכל בשבת, מי שלא טרח בערב שבת מהיכן יאכל בשבת? אלא אף על פי כן, מצוה קלה יש לי וסוכה שמה, לכו ועשו אותה.

The nations will then say: Offer us the Torah anew and we shall obey it.

But the Holy Blessed One will say to them, You foolish ones among peoples, he who took trouble [to prepare] on the eve of Shabbat can eat on Shabbat, but he who has not troubled on the eve of Shabbat, what shall he eat on Shabbat? Nevertheless, I have an easy command which is called Sukkah; go and carry it out.

 

The nations now plead before God, asking God for in essence a second chance. God responds with a famous statement, that even has echoes in the Gospels. However, God does offer them an easy mitzvah to keep. Stay tuned for tomorrow where we see if the nations can keep the mitzvah of sukkah!