As R. Hizkiah and R. Jose and R. Judah were once journeying together, R. Jose said: ‘Let each one of us give some exposition of the Torah.’ R. Judah thereupon began with the verse, “Remember not against us the iniquities of our forefathers, let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us” (Ps. 79, 8). He said: ‘God in His great love for Israel allows no one to sit in judgement on them save Himself, and when He tries them, He is filled with compassion for them like a father for his children, and when He finds they have done wrong, He removes their offences one by one until there are none left to place them in the power of the other side.
Hence it says, “let thy mercies prevent us”, because otherwise Israel would not be able to exist, in face of all the accusers and all the adversaries who are lying in wait for them above. Hence it continues “for we are very poor”, that is, poor in good deeds in the sight of God.
For were Israel rich in good deeds before God, idolatrous nations would not be able to exist in the world. It is Israel who enable other nations to hold their head high, because but for their sins the nations would be subdued before them.
And, as we have already said, had not Israel by their sins brought the other side into the Holy Land, the idolatrous nations would not have gained possession of it, and Israel would not have been exiled from their land. Hence, because “we are brought very low”, therefore “let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us”.’
רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, כָּל חַד וְחַד מִינָן לֵימָא מִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא. פָּתַח רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְאָמַר, (תהילים ע״ט:ח׳) אַל תִּזְכָּר לָנוּ עֲוֹנוֹת רִאשׁוֹנִים מַהֵר יְקַדְמוּנוּ וְגו'. תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בִּרְחִימוּתָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, רָחִים לוֹן, דְּאִינוּן עַדְבֵיהּ וְאַחְסַנְתֵּיהּ, לָא מִסְתַּכַּל אָחֳרָא בְּדִינַיְיהוּ, בַּר אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדֵיהּ. וְכֵיוָן דְּאִיהוּ מִסְתַּכֵּל בְּדִינַיְיהוּ, אִתְמָלֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ רַחֲמִין, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ כְּאָב דְּרָחִים עַל בָּנִים, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים ק״ג:י״ג) כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל בָּנִים רִחַם ה' וְגו'. וְכֵיוָן דְּאִשְׁתַּכַּח לוֹן חוֹבִין, מַעֲבָר לוֹן רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן, עַד דְּאַעֲבַר לוֹן לְכֻלְּהוּ מִקַּמֵּיהּ. וְכֵיוָן דְּאַעֲבַר לוֹן מִקַּמֵּיהּ, לָא אִשְׁתָּאַר עֲלַיְיהוּ חוֹבִין לְמֵיהַב שָׁלְטָנוּ לְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא דְּדִינָא עֲלַיְיהוּ.
As R. Hizkiah and R. Jose and R. Judah were once journeying together, R. Jose said: ‘Let each one of us give some exposition of the Torah.’ R. Judah thereupon began with the verse, “Remember not against us the iniquities of our forefathers, let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us” (Ps. 79, 8). He said: ‘God in His great love for Israel allows no one to sit in judgement on them save Himself, and when He tries them, He is filled with compassion for them like a father for his children, and when He finds they have done wrong, He removes their offences one by one until there are none left to place them in the power of the other side.
אָתֵי לְמֵיחַב קַמֵּיהּ כְּדְבְּקַדְמִיתָא, אִינוּן חוֹבִין קַדְמָאֵי דְּאַעֲבַר מִקַּמֵּיהּ חָשִׁיב עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב אַל תִּזְכָּר לָנוּ עֲוֹנוֹת רִאשׁוֹנִים מַהֵר יְקַדְמוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ וְגו'. דְּאִי רַחֲמֶיךָ לֹא יַקְדִּימוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לָא יָכְלִין לְקָיְימָא בְּעַלְמָא. בְּגִין דְּכַמָּה אִינוּן מָארֵי דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, מָארֵי תְּרִיסֵין, וְכַמָּה דִלְטוֹרִין דְּקָיְימֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְעֵילָא, וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּאַקְדִּים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רַחֲמִים עֲלַייהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד לָא יַשְׁגַּח בְּדִינֵיהוֹן, לָא יָכְלִין לְקָיְימָא בְּעַלְמָא. וְעַל דָּא, מַהֵר יְקַדְמוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ כִּי דַלוֹנוּ מְאֹד. דַּלּוּתָא דְעוֹבָדִין טָבִין, דַּלּוּתָא דְּעוֹבָדִין דְּכָשְׁרָן. (קמי קודשא בריך הוא).
Hence it says, “let thy mercies prevent us”, because otherwise Israel would not be able to exist, in face of all the accusers and all the adversaries who are lying in wait for them above. Hence it continues “for we are very poor”, that is, poor in good deeds in the sight of God.
תָּא חֲזֵי, אִלְמָלֵי יְסַגְּלוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבָדִין דְּכָשְׁרָן קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְרִיךְ הוּא, לָא הֲווּ קָאִימוּ עֲלֵיהּ עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת בְּעַלְמָא, אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינוּן גָּרְמִין לִשְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת לְזָקְפָא רֵישַׁיְיהוּ בְּעַלְמָא. דְּאִלְמָלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא יְהוֹן חָטָאן קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שְׁאָר עַמִין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת אִתְכַּפְיָין קַמַּיְיהוּ.
For were Israel rich in good deeds before God, idolatrous nations would not be able to exist in the world. It is Israel who enable other nations to hold their head high, because but for their sins the nations would be subdued before them.
וְתָא חֲזֵי, אִלְמָלֵא דְּאַמְשִׁיכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעוֹבָדִין בִּישִׁין לִסְטַר אָחֳרָא בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, הָא אִתְּמָר, דְּלָא שָׁלְטוּ שְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְלָא אִתְגָּלוּ מֵעַל אַרְעָא. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, כִּי דַלּוֹנוּ מְאֹד. דְּלֵית לָן עוֹבָדִין דְּכָשְׁרָן כְּדְקָא חָזֵי. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כִּי דַלּוֹנוּ מְאֹד מַהֵר יְקַדְמוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ.
And, as we have already said, had not Israel by their sins brought the other side into the Holy Land, the idolatrous nations would not have gained possession of it, and Israel would not have been exiled from their land. Hence, because “we are brought very low”, therefore “let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us”.’