{"id":494,"date":"2013-04-24T19:38:12","date_gmt":"2013-04-24T19:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/?page_id=494"},"modified":"2013-06-01T09:46:46","modified_gmt":"2013-06-01T13:46:46","slug":"tefillat-prayer-of-r-shimon-b-yohai","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/research-projects\/trajectories-in-near-eastern-apocalyptic\/tefillat-prayer-of-r-shimon-b-yohai\/","title":{"rendered":"Tefillat (Prayer of) R. Shimon b. Yohai"},"content":{"rendered":"

Translated from the text published in Adolph Jellinek, ed.,\u00a0Bet ha-Midrasch: Sammlung kleiner Midraschim und vermischter Abhandlungen aus der j\u00fcdischen Literatur<\/em>\u00a0(6 vols.; Leipzig, 1853-77; repr., Jerusalem: Bamberger & Wahrmann, 1938), 4:117-26.\u00a0Jellinek\u2019s text was in turn reproduced, emended, and supplemented by Yehudah Even-Shmuel,\u00a0Midreshey ge’ullah<\/i>\u00a0(2d ed.; Jerusalem: Mosad Bialik, 1954), 268-86. For discussion of this work, see Moses Buttenwieser,\u00a0Outline of the Neo-Hebraic Apocalyptic Literature<\/i>\u00a0(Cincinnati: Jennings & Pye, 1901), 41.\u00a0An important translation and study was prepared by Bernard Lewis,\u00a0\u201cAn Apocalyptic Vision of Islamic History,\u201d\u00a0BSOAS<\/i>\u00a013 (1949-51): 308-38; its main arguments are accepted by Salo M. Baron,\u00a0A Social and Religious History of the Jews<\/i>\u00a0(18 vols.; 2d ed.; New York and Philadelphia: Columbia University Press and the Jewish Publication Society, 1952-83), 3:93, 274 n.27.<\/p>\n

These are the secrets and revelations divulged to R. \u0160im\u2018on.\u00a0This is R. \u0160im\u2018on ben Yohai whom they dispatched from Jerusalem to Rome to (entreat) Caesar.\u00a0While he was (still voyaging) on the ship, A\u0161medai, ruler of the demons, appeared to him (in) a dream.\u00a0He (A\u0161medai) addressed him, \u2018Ask what I might do for you!\u2019\u00a0R. \u0160im\u2018on responded, \u2018Who are you?\u2019\u00a0He answered: \u2018I am A\u0161medai, the one whom the Holy One, blessed be He, has sent to perform a miracle for you.\u2019\u00a0He exclaimed: \u2018Master of the Universe!\u00a0For Hagar, the serving-maid of Sarai, You summoned an angel, but for me You have sent the ruler of the demons?!?\u2019 A\u0161medai said to him, \u2018Does the source from which the miracle comes matter\u2014whether from I or from an angel\u2014as long as your wishes are accomplished?\u2019 A\u0161medai continued: \u2018I am going now to enter into (and take possession of) the body of the daughter of Caesar.\u00a0I will weaken her and have her cry out your name (\u201cR. \u0160im\u2018on!\u00a0R. \u0160im\u2018on!\u201d).\u00a0Then, when you arrive and they ask you to expel me so that I might leave from this household, I will say \u201cI shall not leave it until they satisfy the wishes of R. \u0160im\u2018on and what he desires!\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n

A\u0161medai departed and went to the palace of Caesar and did everything that he told R. \u0160im\u2018on (he would do).\u00a0The daughter of Caesar arose (from her bed?) and he entered into her.\u00a0As soon as he had entered into her, she shattered all the crockery in the palace of her father, and was crying out \u2018R. \u0160im\u2018on!\u00a0 \u0160im\u2018on ben Yohai!\u2019\u00a0 After a few days a ship arrived, and R. \u0160im\u2018on was on board.\u00a0They went and announced (this news) to Caesar.\u00a0Caesar sent for him and said to him, \u2018What is your wish?\u2019\u00a0He replied, \u2018The Jews of Jerusalem have sent a gift for you.\u2019\u00a0He (Caesar) said, \u2018I will accept nothing from you, nor do I wish anything (from you) except that you expel this demon from my daughter.\u00a0I have no one to succeed me in rule save for her, for there is no other offspring.\u2019\u00a0R. \u0160im\u2018on went and addressed him: \u2018A\u0161medai!\u00a0 Come out from this maiden!\u2019\u00a0He (A\u0161medai) replied, \u2018I will not leave until they do everything which you want (them to do)!\u2019\u00a0He repeated this a number of times\u2014\u2018I will not leave (the girl) until they satisfy your wishes!\u2019<\/p>\n

The ruler then went and sent for all his elders, princes, and servants.\u00a0He asked them: \u2018What do you advise (me) to do about my daughter?\u00a0This 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.\u00a0The 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!\u2019\u00a0One of his counselors arose and said to him, \u2018My 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.\u2019\u00a0He (Caesar) replied to him, \u2018Speak on!\u2019\u00a0He (the counselor) continued, \u2018If one has an enemy, would one rather that he (the enemy) be poor or rich?\u2019\u00a0The king answered him, \u2018Poor.\u2019\u00a0The counselor said to him, \u2018It is the Jews\u2019 universal custom to labor all week long during which they accumulate wealth.\u00a0On the sixth day they spend it all for the sake of honoring the Sabbath.\u00a0But 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.\u2019\u00a0The king replied, \u2018Restore the Sabbath to them!\u2019<\/p>\n

The same counselor again said to him, \u2018If a man has enemies, which would he prefer them to be?\u00a0To be many or few?\u2019\u00a0The ruler replied, \u2018Few!\u2019\u00a0 He (the counselor) continued, \u2018My lord king, the Jews perform circumcision upon their sons when they are (only) eight days old.\u00a0Even should one of them survive (the operation), a hundred (others) will die!\u2019\u00a0 The ruler declared, \u2018Also restore (the practice of) circumcision to them!\u2019<\/p>\n

Once more he (the counselor) said to him, \u2018My lord king, (the rules of) menstrual impurity operate thusly: when Israelite women are assumed to be in a state of menstrual impurity, they engage in little sexual activity, for they must observe seven days (as) \u2018days of bloodflow\u2019 and seven (further) days as days of purification.\u2019\u00a0The ruler declared, \u2018Permit their law regarding menstrual impurity as before!\u2019<\/p>\n

The ruler (then) said to R. \u0160im\u2018on, \u2018I grant your condition.\u00a0Go, inform the demon that he should leave my daughter!\u2019\u00a0R. \u0160im\u2018on ordered A\u0161medai (to come forth), and he (the demon) departed from the ruler\u2019s daughter.\u00a0The ruler returned to R. \u0160im\u2018on 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.\u00a0And R. \u0160im\u2018on returned to Jerusalem rejoicing and in good spirits, and the decrees were annulled.<\/p>\n

This was the R. \u0160im\u2018on who was incarcerated in a cave before this (adventure) on account of (the persecutions of) Caesar.\u00a0He fasted for forty days and nights and prayed before the Lord, and this is what he said in his prayer: \u2018Blessed are You, O Lord our God and God of our ancestors, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the great, mighty, and awesome God Who out of His mercies created heaven and earth, alive and enduring forever and forever!\u00a0 May You be glorified, praised, coroneted, adorned, and professed as One, for You are King of kings and Lord of lords!\u00a0(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!\u00a0You are the One who chose Abram 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.\u00a0I ask You now, O Lord God, 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 Israel from all the various places where they have been dispersed, and how many wars they must endure after their ingathering?\u00a0May he explain to me the topic by the pleasure of the Lord God!\u00a0 How long (is it) until the time of marvels?\u2019<\/p>\n

R. \u0160im\u2018on said: \u2018Immediately the gates of heaven were opened to me and I beheld visions of God.\u00a0I fell upon my face and behold, a voice was addressing me, \u201c\u0160im\u2018on!\u00a0\u0160im\u2018on!\u201d\u00a0I answered and said to the one addressing me, \u201cWhat are you saying?\u201d\u00a0My Lord said to me, \u201cRise up from your place (on the ground).\u201d\u00a0As he spoke to me, I stood up trembling and said to him, \u201cWhat is your name?\u201d\u00a0He responded to me, \u201cWhy this (need) to ask for my name?\u00a0 It is incomprehensible!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018I said to him, \u201cWhen will the deliverer of Israel come?\u201d\u00a0He answered me (quoting), \u201cAnd He (God) beheld the children of Israel, and God knew\u201d (Exod 2:25).\u00a0Immediately he caused the Kenites to pass before me.\u00a0I asked him, \u201cWho are these?\u201d\u00a0He said to me, \u201cThese are the Kenites.\u201d\u00a0He moreover showed me the kingdom of Ishmael which would come into existence after (that) of the Kenites.\u00a0I immediately wept an intense shower of tears and said to him, \u201cMy Lord!\u00a0Will he (also) have horns and hooves with which he will crush Israel?\u201d\u00a0He answered me, \u201cYes.\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n

I was still speaking with him when, behold, an angel whose name was Metatron touched me \u2018and roused me like a man who is roused from his sleep.\u2019\u00a0When I saw him, I stood trembling and \u2018my pains racked me, and I could retain no strength\u2019 and \u2018was seized with pains like those of a woman giving birth.\u2019\u00a0He said to me, \u2018\u0160im\u2018on!\u2019\u00a0I responded, \u2018Here I am.\u2019\u00a0He said to me, \u2018Know that the Holy One, blessed be He, has sent me to you in order to inform you with regard to your question which you asked Him.\u00a0Now, when you saw the Kenite and the kingdom of Ishmael, you wept, but you should confine your weeping to the matter of the kingdom of Ishmael alone.\u00a0For during the final period of its rule, it will effect a great slaughter beyond measure among Israel and decree harsh edicts against Israel and announce (that) \u201canyone who reads Torah will be pierced by the sword.\u201d\u00a0A portion of Israel will turn to their (i.e., Ishmael\u2019s) laws.\u00a0At that time the kingdom of the Kenites will come to Jerusalem, subdue it, and kill more than thirty thousand within it.\u00a0Due to the pressure with which they constrain Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, will send (more) Ishmaelites against them, and they will make war with them in order to deliver Israel from their grasp.\u00a0 A demented, demon-possessed man\u2014one who speaks lies about the Holy One, blessed be He\u2014will arise and subdue the land, and there will be enmity between them (the Ishmaelites) and the children of Esau.\u2019<\/p>\n

I turned to Metatron and said to him, \u2018Are the Ishmaelites a deliverance for Israel?\u2019\u00a0He said to me, \u2018Did not Isaiah the prophet speak thusly?\u00a0\u201cAnd should he see chariotry of a pair of riders, one riding an ass, (and) one riding a camel\u201d (Isa 21:7).\u2019\u00a0\u201cChariotry\u201d\u2014this (word) refers to the Achaemenid empire.\u00a0\u201cPair\u201d\u2014this (word) refers to the Greek empire(s).\u00a0 \u201cRiders\u201d\u2014this (word) refers to the Roman empire.\u00a0\u201cOne riding an ass\u201d\u2014this (phrase) refers to the Messiah, as Scripture attests: \u201chumble and mounted upon an ass\u201d (Zech 9:9).\u00a0\u201cOne riding a camel\u201d\u2014this (phrase) refers to the kingdom of Ishmael, during whose rule the Messianic kingdom will sprout.\u00a0This is why (the phrase) \u201cone riding an ass\u201d precedes (the phrase) \u201cone riding a camel\u201d (in the verse from Isaiah).\u00a0The \u201cone riding a camel\u201d will rejoice at the advent of the Messiah; nevertheless, the sages perish and the power of the riff-raff grows stronger.\u2019<\/p>\n

Again \u2018and he beheld the Kenite\u2019 (Num 24:21).\u00a0What was the symbolic message which Balaam the wicked saw?\u00a0When Balaam foresaw that the tribe of Kenites would in the future arise and place Israel under subjection, he began (and) said: \u2018\u201cEthan is your dwelling\u201d (ibid.)\u2014I see that you will occupy yourselves only with the bell (?) of Ethan the easterner.\u2019<\/p>\n

The second king who will arise from the Ishmaelites will love Israel.\u00a0He will repair the breaches of the Temple, make war with the descendants of Esau, and slaughter their armies.\u00a0There shall arise a king whose name is Marw\u0101n.\u00a0He will be a herder of asses, and they will take him from following the asses and coronate him as ruler.\u00a0The Edomites shall arise against him and kill him, and another will succeed him, and he (this latter one) shall have peace from all who transgress against him.\u00a0He will be a friend of Zion and die in peace.<\/p>\n

Another king will arise in his place and strengthen his hold upon the kingdom with his sword and his bow.\u00a0Strife 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).\u00a0At the time when the gyrdwn<\/i>\u00a0in the west collapses upon the Ishmaelites in Damascus, the kingdom of Ishmael will fall, for regarding this time (Scripture) said: \u2018the Lord has broken the rod of the wicked\u2019 (Isa 14:5).\u00a0Warriors from the sons of Qedar will still remain with him.\u00a0The 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.\u00a0 He will flee from them, but they will capture his sons, kill (them), and hang (them) upon wooden scaffolding.<\/p>\n

\u2018On that day the Lord will signal for the fly\u2019 (Isa 7:18).\u00a0The Holy One, blessed be He, will signal \u2018for the bees who are in the region of Assyria\u2019 (ibid.) and they shall wage war with the Ashkenazim.\u00a0The first king who leads them and brings (them) forth is one who rebelled against their masters, as Scripture attests: \u2018Thus says the Lord \u2026 to the despised one, to the one loathed by the nation, to the slave of kings\u2019 (Isa 49:7).\u00a0And (the phrase) \u2018slave of kings\u2019 indicates whom?\u00a0He said, \u2018This (phrase) refers to the Canaanites who are the most despised of all the nations.\u2019<\/p>\n

Regarding (the phrase) \u2018slave of kings\u2019: 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.\u00a0They will make war with the Ishmaelites, kill their warriors, and take possession of their wealth and property.\u00a0They are very repulsive men, dressed in black, and coming forth from the east.\u00a0They are cruel and impetuous, as Scripture attests: \u2018Lo, I shall raise up against the Chaldeans the nation cruel and impetuous\u2019 (Hab 1:6).\u00a0All of them are horsemen, as Scripture attests: \u2018horsemen charging up\u2019 (Nah 3:3).\u00a0They 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\u2014this refers to \u2018the mountain-height of Israel\u2019\u2014and demolish the sanctuary, extinguish the lamps, and split the doors.<\/p>\n

Moreover four other kings will arise\u2014two of them have been revealed\u2014and two others will arise against them.\u00a0During their reigns the son of David will appear, as Scripture says: \u2018and in the days of those kings\u2019 (Dan 2:44).\u00a0The form of the first king: an aged man, but not exceedingly old.\u00a0The king is modest, his eyes attractive, and his hair lovely (and) black.\u00a0But they will be led astray by him.\u00a0After him another (ruler) will arise amidst dissensions, and he will station large armies by the Euphrates River.\u00a0Yet 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.\u00a0The 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.\u00a0He 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: \u2018I will give you treasures (concealed in) darkness and secret hidden things\u2019 (Isa 45:3).\u00a0During 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).<\/p>\n

And at the beginning of week one there is no rain, and in the second (week) \u2018arrows of hunger,\u2019 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.\u00a0And during the sixth a star shall appear from the east and on top of it a rod of fire like a spear.\u00a0The Gentile nations will claim \u2018this star is ours,\u2019 but it is not so; rather, it pertains to Israel, as Scripture forecasts: \u2018a star shall step forth from Jacob, etc.\u2019 (Num 24:17).\u00a0The time of its shining will be during the first watch of the night for two hours.\u00a0It 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 Israel.<\/p>\n

Again I returned to my prayer and also my fasting (for) forty days until this angel appeared to me.\u00a0He said to me, \u2018Ask!\u2019\u00a0I answered him, \u2018Lord, what will be the end of these (things)?\u2019\u00a0 The angel said to me, \u2018After all these (things) the westerners will become overpowering, with mighty armies, and they will come mingled (sic<\/i>) and make war with the easterners who are in their land.\u00a0They (the westerners) will kill them, and those who survive will flee before them and enter Alexandria.\u00a0Some of the westerners will pursue after them and arrive (at the city), and a great battle will take place there.\u00a0The easterners shall flee from there and come into Egypt.\u00a0They shall capture it, take spoil, and make it a desolate place in order to affirm what Scripture says: \u201cEgypt will become a desolate place\u201d (Joel 4:19).\u00a0 They will advance over into \u2018the glorious land\u2019 (Eretz Israel) and (the land will suffer) complete destruction at their hand.\u00a0Anyone whom they capture will not return (to Eretz Israel) until the Messiah comes.\u2019<\/p>\n

When I heard this discourse, I wept very much.\u00a0The angel said to me, \u2018\u0160im\u2018on, why do you weep?\u2019\u00a0I answered him, \u2018Will there be no escape for the descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob during his (sic<\/i>) days?\u2019\u00a0He said to me, \u2018The situation will be very difficult: if you leave meat over the fire, you cannot escape its savor; so too Israel cannot escape.\u00a0But everyone who enters into a chamber and flees and hides will escape, as Scripture says: \u201cGo, my people, enter your chambers!\u201d (Isa 26:20).\u00a0\u201cAll who are discovered will be stabbed, and all who are captured shall fall by the sword\u201d (Isa 13:15).\u00a0They will pass through \u2018the glorious land\u2019 and pillage, as Scripture notes: \u201cand he shall enter the lands, sweeping and passing through\u201d (Dan 11:40).\u00a0They come into \u201cthe ravines of the precipices,\u201d 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.\u00a0Those who remain will be unable to drink from it, and (it is) from there that the kingdom of the east will be destroyed.<\/p>\n

And after all these things a king \u201cstrong of face\u201d will arise and be active for three and one-half years.\u00a0At 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: \u201ctheir silver and their gold will be unable to save them\u201d (Ezek 7:19), nor will his counsel and planning stand up against him.\u00a0He will kill whoever recites the\u00a0\u0160ema\u2018<\/i>, and he will kill whoever says \u201cGod of Abraham.\u201d\u00a0And they will say: \u201cLet us all return (and become) one nation, and let us abolish the Sabbaths, festivals, and new moons from Israel,\u201d as Scripture attests: \u201cand he will plan to change times and law\u201d (Dan 7:25).\u00a0\u201cTimes\u201d refers to festivals and \u201claw\u201d refers to the Torah, as Scripture proves: \u201ca fiery law to them\u201d (Deut 33:2).\u00a0During his reign there will be great distress for Israel.\u00a0(Nevertheless), all whom he exiles will escape to Upper Galilee, as it is written: \u201cfor on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be escape\u201d (Joel 3:5) until he reaches Meron.\u00a0He will kill some from among Israel until he comes (to Damascus), and when he arrives at Damascus, the Holy One, blessed be He, will provide assistance and relief to Israel.\u00a0During 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.\u00a0There will be no peace for those who go and come, as Scripture says: \u201cI will press humanity hard, and they shall walk about like the blind\u201d (Zeph 1:17).\u00a0The people of the Lord 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: \u201cthey will be delivered into his hand for a time, times, and half a time\u201d (Dan 7:25).\u00a0\u201cA time\u201d signifies one year, \u201ctimes\u201d signifies two years, (and) \u201chalf a time\u201d signifies half of a year: consequently (after) three [and a half] years the decree and foolishness will be annulled, as Scripture predicts: \u201cand from the time of the suspension of the daily offering and installment of the abomination of desolation\u2014one thousand two hundred and ninety days\u201d (Dan 12:11).\u00a0These are the three and a half years.\u00a0There shall arise a king who will turn them to apostasy, as Scripture states: \u201cand they will install the abomination of desolation\u201d (Dan 11:31).\u00a0He will rule for three months.<\/p>\n

After that, the Ishmaelites will do battle with the Edomites on the plain of Acco, and immediately the Assyrians will come upon them and capture them, as Scripture says: \u201cuntil Assyria takes you prisoner\u201d (Num 24:22).\u00a0(And as for) \u201cships from the coast of Kittim\u201d (ibid.), these are the Edomites who are destined to arise in the last days.\u00a0When they (eventually) emerge, they will come forth like robbers, as Scripture predicts: \u201cwhen robbers come against you\u201d (Obad 1:5; cf. also Jer 49:9).\u00a0They will do battle with the Ishmaelites and kill many of them and assemble themselves at the camp at Acco.\u00a0Iron shall crumble clay, and its leg(s) will break down to the toes, and they will flee naked without horses.\u00a0(New) legions from Edom 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.\u00a0The children of Israel will flee to the plain of Jericho, and there they will pause and ask one another, \u201cTo where can we flee?\u00a0Let us leave (here) our wives (and) our children.\u201d\u00a0They will return and wage another battle on the plain of Megiddo, and the Edomites will flee and board ships, and a wind shall come forth and bring them to Assyria.\u00a0They 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 Israel (sic<\/em>) and the Romans, as Scripture states: \u201cuntil Assyria takes you prisoner\u201d (Num 24:22).\u00a0When you see Syrians (?) coming forth and traveling about the land of Israel, they will establish peace, and Elijah will come forth and proclaim news of peace to them, as Scripture says: \u201cand this will be peace: when Assyria comes into our land\u201d (Mic 5:4).\u00a0The Italians will seek to wage war with them, and the kingdom will revert to the Ishmaelites for a short while, but they will not have sufficient time to evacuate their wives before Assyria captures them.<\/p>\n

Suddenly a heavenly voice will come forth and proclaim in all the places where the Israelites are: \u201cIssue forth and enact the vengeance of God against Edom!\u201d\u00a0For Scripture says: \u201cI will enact my vengeance against Edom by the agency of my people Israel\u201d (Ezek 25:14).\u00a0Immediately the young men of the Israelites will band together and obey, and they will recognize as king over them a Davidide ruler.\u00a0(However), dissension will break out among them, and the inhabitants of the land of Israel will rebel against the descendant of David, (a reaction) which will confirm what Scripture says: \u201cand Israel has rebelled against the house of David until this day\u201d (2 Chr 10:19): \u201cuntil<\/i>\u00a0this day\u201d signifies the day\u00a0when<\/i>\u00a0the royal messiah comes.\u00a0The contending parties will come and take hold of one another, and a heavenly voice will come forth and whistle: \u201c\u2018what has been is what will be\u2019 (Qoh 1:9)\u2014the Holy One, blessed be He, existed before the creation of the universe, and He will continue to exist after the destruction of the universe; \u2018what He has already done is what He will do\u2019 (ibid.).\u201d\u00a0It (the heavenly voice) will continue: \u201cJust as Joshua did to Jericho and its ruler, so do to the nations of the world!\u201d\u00a0They shall respond: \u201cThe ark of the covenant is not with us as it was with Joshua!\u201d\u00a0It (the heavenly voice) will answer them, \u201cThere was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets (of the Law) and their seal \u2018Shema\u2018 Israel<\/i>\u2019!\u201d\u00a0 Immediately they will burst out with a great shout and say, \u201cHear, O Israel!\u00a0The Lord is our God; the Lord is One!\u201d (Deut 6:4).\u00a0They will encircle Jericho, and the wall will collapse at once.\u00a0They will enter within her and find young men dead in her squares so as to affirm what Scripture states: \u201ctruly her young men will fall in her squares, and all her warriors will perish\u201d (Jer 50:30).\u00a0They will engage in slaughter for three days and three nights, and afterwards they will collect all her spoil in the midst of her square.\u00a0But (then) news will come to them from the Land of Israel, and they will be very fearful.\u2019<\/p>\n

Again I returned to my prayer before the Lord while fasting and (garbed in) sackcloth and ashes until I had seen (a vision?).\u00a0Behold, a hand touched me and stood me up on my feet, and he said to me, \u2018Ask, O righteous one, what you would ask!\u2019\u00a0So I asked him (and) said to him, \u2018At the end of these things, how will all Israel be gathered together from the four corners of the earth?\u00a0How will their escape from the control of the kingdoms take place?\u00a0When they depart, to where will they go?\u00a0How will their journey transpire?\u00a0What will they be able to do?\u00a0I want you to tell me about these things and others like them until the conclusion of the matter.\u2019<\/p>\n

He responded to me from the doors of heaven, saying to me: \u2018At the end of the kingdom of the Ishmaelites, the Romans will go forth against Jerusalem and make war with the Ishmaelites.\u00a0The land will be subdued by them.\u00a0They will enter it (i.e., Jerusalem) and slaughter many Ishmaelites and cast down numerous corpses in it.\u00a0They will capture a great many Ishmaelite women and dash out the brains of the children.\u00a0Each day they will sacrifice children to Jesus.\u00a0At that time Israel (too) will suffer much distress, and at that moment the Lord will arouse the tribes of Israel and they will come to Jerusalem, the holy city.\u00a0They will discover that it is written in the Torah: \u201cthe Lord was traveling before them daily in a column of cloud(s)\u201d (Exod 13:21), and it is also written \u201cfor the Lord will travel before you, and the God of Israel will guard your rear\u201d (Isa 52:12).\u00a0They will journey in the company of thick clouds, engage the Edomites in battle, and kill a large number of them.\u00a0 News about them\u2014\u201cthe tribes have come!\u201d\u2014will spread throughout the world.\u00a0At that time the verse pertaining to Israel will be fulfilled: \u201cThere 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\u201d (Dan 12:1).\u00a0The nations will rise up against Israel and effect a great massacre among them, and many of the unlearned will apostatize.\u00a0They will torture with chains many of the pious so as to (make them) abandon the Torah of the Lord.<\/p>\n

And after they have endured this distress for a short time, the Lord 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 Holy One, blessed be He, will disperse the tribes in each and every city.\u00a0With regard to them it has been said, \u201cWho are these who fly about like a cloud?\u201d (Isa 60:8).\u00a0A few persons from Israel will gather together in Jerusalem, but they will find no food, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will transform the sand into fine flour for Israel, and with regard to this time it has been said: \u201cLet there be an abundance of grain in the land on the top(s) of mountains\u201d (Ps 72:16).\u00a0Nehemiah ben Hushiel will arise and perform miracles in accordance with the word of the Lord.\u00a0A ruler will arise and become a religious heretic: he will make himself appear to be a servant of the Lord, but his heart will not be truly with Him.\u00a0A mighty thundering will go forth throughout the world, and the whole world will fear it.\u00a0Israel will gather themselves to Nehemiah ben Hushiel.\u00a0The ruler of Egypt will make a pact with him, and he (Nehemiah?) will effect a slaughter in all the cities surrounding Jerusalem, such as Tiberias, Damascus, and Ashkelon.\u00a0The nations of the world will hear (about this), and terror and panic will fall upon them.<\/p>\n

The sign which will occur at that time (is) that the stars will appear in blood, and about that time it has been said, \u201cThe sun will be changed into darkness, and the moon to blood\u201d (Joel 3:4).\u00a0The Holy One, blessed be He, 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: \u201cOn that day the Lord will again manifest His power\u2014for a second time\u2014in order to acquire the remnant of His people\u201d (Isa 11:11).<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0Worthless 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.\u00a0He 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.\u00a0 He will have two heads, and they will call him Armilos.\u00a0He will come to Edom and announce to them, \u201cI am your messiah; I am your god!\u201d\u00a0Although he is misleading them, they will instantly believe him and they will install him as king, and all the descendants of Esau will join together and come to him.\u00a0He will travel about and announce in all the cities and say to the descendants of Esau, \u201cBring me my scripture which I have given to you,\u201d and again the nations of the world will come and bring a book \u2026 and he will say to them, \u201cThis is (indeed) what I have given to you,\u201d and he will reiterate to them \u201cI am your god\u201d and \u201cI am your messiah and your god!\u201d<\/p>\n

At that time he will send for Nehemiah and all Israel, and he will say to them: \u201cBring me your Torah and testify to me that I am God!\u201d\u00a0Immediately all Israel will be astonished and intimidated, and at that time Nehemiah will arise, along with three men from the tribe of Ephraim, and they will come bearing a\u00a0sefer Torah<\/i>\u00a0with them.\u00a0They will read aloud before him: \u201cI am (the Lord your God \u2026)\u201d and \u201cYou shall not have (any other gods before Me).\u201d\u00a0 He will retort, \u201cNone of this can be in your Torah!\u00a0I will give you no rest until you believe that I am God in the same way that the nations of the world believe in me!\u201d\u00a0Immediately Nehemiah will arise to confront him, and he will say to him, \u201cYou are not God, but Satan!\u201d\u00a0 He (Armilos) will say to them, \u201cWhy do you lie about me?\u00a0I could give the order to execute you,\u201d and then will command his servants, \u201cSeize Nehemiah!\u201d\u00a0Immediately he (Nehemiah) will arise along with 30,000 warriors from Israel and do battle with him, and he will slay 200,000 from the camp of Armilos.\u00a0Enraged, Armilos will gather all the forces of the nations of the world and make war on the Israelite people and kill 1,000,000 Israelites, and he will even kill Nehemiah at midday.\u00a0Concerning this time it has been said: \u201cAnd it will come to pass on that day\u2014so says the Lord God\u2014that I shall make the sun set at midday, and I shall darken the earth on a bright day\u201d (Amos 8:9).\u00a0Those Israelites who remain alive will flee into the \u2018desert of the peoples\u2019 and remain there for forty-five days without food or water, with only wild grass to serve as their sustenance.\u00a0After forty-five days have passed, Armilos will invade and make war against Egypt and capture it, as Scripture attests: \u201ceven the land of Egypt will not be a refuge\u201d (Dan 11:42).\u00a0Then he will turn back and set his face toward Jerusalem in order to devastate it a second time, as Scripture states: \u201che 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\u201d (Dan 11:45).<\/p>\n

At that time Michael the great prince will stand and blow three blasts on the shofar<\/em>, as Scripture attests: \u201cand it will come to pass on that day that he will blow a great trumpet (shofar<\/i>)\u201d (Isa 27:13).\u00a0That shofar<\/em> is (actually made from) the right horn of the ram of Isaac, which the Holy One, blessed be He, will lengthen until it is one thousand cubits long.\u00a0He will blow a strong blast, and the Messiah of the lineage of David and Elijah will be revealed.\u00a0Both of them will journey to where Israel is in the \u2018desert of the peoples.\u2019\u00a0To them Elijah will announce, \u201cHere is the Messiah,\u201d and he will restore their hearts and strengthen their hands, as Scripture states: \u201cStrengthen (your) wavering hands and fortify (your) faltering knees!\u00a0Say to the anxious ones, \u2018Be strong and unafraid!\u2019\u201d (Isa 35:3-4).\u00a0All of the Israelite people will hear the sound of the shofar<\/em> blowing, and they will know that He has redeemed Israel, as Scripture says: \u201cfor the Lord has ransomed Jacob (and redeemed him from the power of one stronger than he)\u201d (Jer 31:11).\u00a0\u201cThose who were lost in the land of Assyria will come, (as well as those who were wandering in the land of Egypt)\u201d (Isa 27:13).\u00a0Fear of the Lord will instantly fall upon the peoples and upon all the nations.\u00a0Israel will come back with the Messiah until they reach the wilderness of Judaea, and they will rendezvous there with all of Israel and enter Jerusalem together.\u00a0They will climb the steps of the House of David\u2014those that remain from the destruction\u2014and the Messiah will sit down there.\u00a0Armilos will hear that a king has appeared in Israel, and he will collect the forces of all the nations of the earth, and they will advance against the King Messiah and Israel.<\/p>\n

The Holy One, blessed be He, will fight on behalf of Israel.\u00a0He will say to the Messiah, \u201cSit at My right hand\u201d (Ps 110:1), and the Messiah will say to Israel, \u201cAssemble yourselves and \u2018stand aside and witness the Lord\u2019s deliverance\u2019!\u201d (Exod 14:13).\u00a0Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, will go forth and do battle with them, as Scripture promises: \u201cThe Lord will go forth and do battle with those nations\u201d (Zech 14:3), and it is recorded in Scripture: \u201cAt 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\u201d (Zeph 3:20).\u2019<\/p>\n

Amen!\u00a0 May that time and that occasion be soon!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Translated from the text published in Adolph Jellinek, ed.,\u00a0Bet ha-Midrasch: Sammlung kleiner Midraschim und vermischter Abhandlungen aus der j\u00fcdischen Literatur\u00a0(6 vols.; Leipzig, 1853-77; repr., Jerusalem: Bamberger & Wahrmann, 1938), 4:117-26.\u00a0Jellinek\u2019s text was in turn reproduced, emended, and supplemented by Yehudah Even-Shmuel,\u00a0Midreshey ge’ullah\u00a0(2d ed.; Jerusalem: Mosad Bialik, 1954), 268-86. For discussion of this work, see Moses […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":454,"featured_media":0,"parent":136,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-494","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P3kl1F-7Y","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/454"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=494"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/494\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1046,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/494\/revisions\/1046"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}