1The first 9 lines of the Hebrew text do not appear in the translation.R. Jose and R. Hiya were walking together. Said R. Jose to R. Hiya: ‘Why art thou silent? Without converse on holy matters the walk is not profitable.’ R. Hiya burst into tears and said: ‘It is written, “Sarai was barren, she had no child” (Gen. 11, 30). Alas, alas! Alas for the time when Hagar begat Ishmael!’
2
(פתח רבי אבא ואמר (צפניה ג׳:ט׳) כי אז אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה לקרא כלם בשם יי' לעבדו שכם אחד. וכתיב (זכריה י״ד:ט׳) והיה יי' למלך וגו' ביום ההוא יהיה יי' אחד ושמו אחד) אֲמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אֲמַאי. וְהָא אוֹלִידַת לְבָתַר, וַהֲוָה לָהּ בְּרָא גִּזְעָא קַדִּישָׁא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, אַתְּ חָמֵי, וַאֲנָא חֲמֵינָא, וְהָכִי שְׁמַעְנָא מִפּוּמוֹי דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מִלָּה, וּבָכֵינָא (ס"א אמרז ליה מאי היא אמר ליה ווי וכו') וַוי עַל הַהוּא זִמְנָא, דִּבְגִין דְּשָׂרָה אִתְעַכְּבַת, כְּתִיב, (בראשית ט״ז:ה׳) וַתֹּאמֶר שָׂרַי אֶל אַבְרָם וְגוֹ' בֹּא נָא אֶל שִׁפְחָתִי וְגוֹ'. וְעַל דָּא, קַיְּימָא שַׁעֲתָא לְהָגָר, לְמֵירַת לְשָׂרָה גְּבִירְתָּהּ, וַהֲוָה לָהּ בְּרָא מֵאַבְרָהָם.
Said R. Jose: ‘Why? Did not Sarah afterwards conceive and bear a son of the holy stock?’ R. Hiya answered: ‘Thou seest and I see, but one may see more than another. And I have heard something from the mouth of R. Simeon, which makes me weep. ’ ‘What is it?’ ‘I will tell you. Sarah was long in having a son of her own, and she said to Abraham: “I pray thee, go in unto my maid” (Gen. 16, 2), and Hagar had a son by Abram,
and Abram prayed to God: “O that Ishmael might live before thee!” Now, although the Holy One, blessed be He, promised Abraham that he would beget Isaac, yet Abraham was so attached to Ishmael, that the Holy One had to promise him: “As for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold, I have blessed him… and I will make him a great nation” (Ibid. 20). Through his circumcision Ishmael entered into the holy covenant before Isaac was born.
Now, for four hundred years the supramundane representative of Ishmael stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, and pleaded thus with him: “He who is circumcised, has he a portion in Thy Name? “ “Yes.” “But what then of Ishmael? Is he not circumcised? Why then has he no portion in Thy Name, like Isaac?” The Holy One answered: “Isaac was circumcised according to rule,1i.e. with theperi’ah, or exposure of the flesh. not so Ishmael; moreover the Israelites attach themselves to me from the eighth day of their birth, but the Ishmaelites for a long time are far from me.” Said he: “Yet, as Ishmael has been circumcised, he ought to have a reward!’,
Woe, woe, that Ishmael was born into the world and was circumcised! What did the Holy One do? He banished the children of Ishmael from the heavenly communion and gave them instead a portion here below in the Holy Land, because of their circumcision.
And they are destined to rule over the land a long time, so long as it is empty, just as their form of circumcision is empty and imperfect; and they will prevent Israel from returning to their own land until the merit of the children of Ishmael shall have become exhausted.
And the sons of Ishmael will fight mighty battles in the world, and the sons of Edom will gather against them, and make war against them, some on land, others on sea, and some close to Jerusalem, and one shall prevail over the other, but the Holy Land will not be delivered to the sons of Edom.
Then a nation from the furthest ends of the earth will rise against wicked Rome and fight against her for three months, and many nations will gather there and fall into the hands of that people, until all the sons of Edom will congregate against her from all the ends of the earth. Then the Holy One will rise against them, as it says: “A slaughter of the Lord in Bazrah and a great slaughter in the land of Edom” (Isa. 34, 6). He will “take hold of the ends of the earth that the wicked might be shaken out of it” (Job 38, 16). He will wipe out the children of Ishmael from the Holy Land, and crush all the powers and principalities of the nations in the supramundane world, and only one power will remain above to rule over the nations of the world, namely the power representing Israel, as it is written: “The Lord is thy shadow at thy right hand” (Ps. 121, 5).
For the Holy Name is at the Right, and the Torah is at the Right, and therefore all depends on the Right, and likewise the future salvation is at the Right, as it says: “Save with thy right hand” (Ps. 60, 7). Concerning that time it is written: “Then I will turn to the peoples a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent” (Zeph. 3, 9), and on that day “will the Lord be one and his name one ” (Zech. 14, 9). Blessed be the Lord for ever and ever. Amen and amen.’
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרִבִּי חִיָּיא, אֲמַאי אַתְּ שָׁתִיק, הָא אוֹרְחָא לָא אִתְתְּקַן, אֶלָּא בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. אִתְנְגִיד רִבִּי חִיָּיא, וּבָכָה, פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (בראשית י״א:ל׳) וַתְּהִי שָׂרַי עֲקָרָה אֵין לָהּ וָלָד וַוי עַל דָּא, וַוי עַל הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאוֹלִידַת הָגָר לְיִשְׁמָעֵאל.
1The first 9 lines of the Hebrew text do not appear in the translation.R. Jose and R. Hiya were walking together. Said R. Jose to R. Hiya: ‘Why art thou silent? Without converse on holy matters the walk is not profitable.’ R. Hiya burst into tears and said: ‘It is written, “Sarai was barren, she had no child” (Gen. 11, 30). Alas, alas! Alas for the time when Hagar begat Ishmael!’
(פתח רבי אבא ואמר (צפניה ג׳:ט׳) כי אז אהפוך אל עמים שפה ברורה לקרא כלם בשם יי' לעבדו שכם אחד. וכתיב (זכריה י״ד:ט׳) והיה יי' למלך וגו' ביום ההוא יהיה יי' אחד ושמו אחד) אֲמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אֲמַאי. וְהָא אוֹלִידַת לְבָתַר, וַהֲוָה לָהּ בְּרָא גִּזְעָא קַדִּישָׁא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, אַתְּ חָמֵי, וַאֲנָא חֲמֵינָא, וְהָכִי שְׁמַעְנָא מִפּוּמוֹי דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מִלָּה, וּבָכֵינָא (ס"א אמרז ליה מאי היא אמר ליה ווי וכו') וַוי עַל הַהוּא זִמְנָא, דִּבְגִין דְּשָׂרָה אִתְעַכְּבַת, כְּתִיב, (בראשית ט״ז:ה׳) וַתֹּאמֶר שָׂרַי אֶל אַבְרָם וְגוֹ' בֹּא נָא אֶל שִׁפְחָתִי וְגוֹ'. וְעַל דָּא, קַיְּימָא שַׁעֲתָא לְהָגָר, לְמֵירַת לְשָׂרָה גְּבִירְתָּהּ, וַהֲוָה לָהּ בְּרָא מֵאַבְרָהָם.
Said R. Jose: ‘Why? Did not Sarah afterwards conceive and bear a son of the holy stock?’ R. Hiya answered: ‘Thou seest and I see, but one may see more than another. And I have heard something from the mouth of R. Simeon, which makes me weep. ’ ‘What is it?’ ‘I will tell you. Sarah was long in having a son of her own, and she said to Abraham: “I pray thee, go in unto my maid” (Gen. 16, 2), and Hagar had a son by Abram,
וְאַבְרָהָם אָמַר, (בראשית י״ז:י״ח) לוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל יִחְיֶה לְפָנֶיךָ, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה מְבַשֵּׂר לֵיהּ עַל יִצְחָק, אִתְדְּבַק אַבְרָהָם בְּיִשְׁמָעֵאל, עַד דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתִיב לֵיהּ, (בראשית י״ז:כ׳) וּלְיִשְׁמָעֵאל שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ וְגוֹ'. לְבָתַר אִתְגְּזַר, וְעָאל בְּקַיְּימָא קַדִּישָׁא, עַד לָא יִפּוּק יִצְחָק לְעָלְמָא.
and Abram prayed to God: “O that Ishmael might live before thee!” Now, although the Holy One, blessed be He, promised Abraham that he would beget Isaac, yet Abraham was so attached to Ishmael, that the Holy One had to promise him: “As for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold, I have blessed him… and I will make him a great nation” (Ibid. 20). Through his circumcision Ishmael entered into the holy covenant before Isaac was born.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, אַרְבַּע מְאָה שְׁנִין, קַיְּימָא הַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּבְנִי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, וּבָעָא קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ, מַאן דְּאִתְגְּזַר אִית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בִּשְׁמָךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְהָא יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּאִתְגְּזַר, (ולא עוד אלא דאתגזר בר תליסר שנין) אֲמַאי לֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בָּךְ כְּמוֹ יִצְחָק. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דָּא אִתְגְּזַר כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת וּכְתִיקּוּנוֹי, וְדָא לָאו הָכִי. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּאִלֵּין מִתְדַּבְּקִין בִּי כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, לִתְמַנְיָא יוֹמִין וְאִלֵּין רְחִיקִין מִנִּי עַד כַּמָּה יָמִים. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, וְעִם כָּל דָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְגְּזַר לָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ אֲגָר טָב בְּגִינֵיהּ.
Now, for four hundred years the supramundane representative of Ishmael stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, and pleaded thus with him: “He who is circumcised, has he a portion in Thy Name? “ “Yes.” “But what then of Ishmael? Is he not circumcised? Why then has he no portion in Thy Name, like Isaac?” The Holy One answered: “Isaac was circumcised according to rule,1i.e. with theperi’ah, or exposure of the flesh. not so Ishmael; moreover the Israelites attach themselves to me from the eighth day of their birth, but the Ishmaelites for a long time are far from me.” Said he: “Yet, as Ishmael has been circumcised, he ought to have a reward!’,
וַוי עַל הַהוּא זִמְנָא, דְּאִתְיְלִיד יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִתְגְּזַר. מַה עָבֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַרְחִיק לְהוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, מִדְּבֵקוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְיָהַב לְהוּ חוּלָקָא לְתַתָּא בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, בְּגִין הַהוּא גְּזִירוּ דִּבְּהוֹן.
Woe, woe, that Ishmael was born into the world and was circumcised! What did the Holy One do? He banished the children of Ishmael from the heavenly communion and gave them instead a portion here below in the Holy Land, because of their circumcision.
וּזְמִינִין בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, לְמִשְׁלָט בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, כַּד אִיהִי רֵיקַנְיָא מִכֹּלָּא, זִמְנָא סַגִּי, כְּמָה דִּגְזִירוּ דִּלְהוֹן בְּרֵיקַנְיָּא בְּלא שְׁלִימוּ. וְאִינּוּן יְעַכְּבוּן לְהוֹן לִבְנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאָתָבָא לְדוּכְתַיְיהוּ, עַד דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים הַהוּא זְכוּתָא דִּבְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל.
And they are destined to rule over the land a long time, so long as it is empty, just as their form of circumcision is empty and imperfect; and they will prevent Israel from returning to their own land until the merit of the children of Ishmael shall have become exhausted.
וּזְמִינִין בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, לְאַתְעֲרָא קְרָבִין תַּקִּיפִין בְּעָלְמָא, וּלְאִתְכַּנְּשָׁא בְּנִי אֱדוֹם עָלַיְיהוּ, וְיִתְעָרוּן קְרָבָא בְּהוּ, חַד עַל יַמָּא, וְחַד עַל יַבֶּשְׁתָּא וְחַד סָמוּךְ לִירוּשְׁלֵים, וְיִשְׁלְטוּן אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין, וְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא לָא יִתְמְסָר לִבְנִי אֱדוֹם.
And the sons of Ishmael will fight mighty battles in the world, and the sons of Edom will gather against them, and make war against them, some on land, others on sea, and some close to Jerusalem, and one shall prevail over the other, but the Holy Land will not be delivered to the sons of Edom.
בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, יִתְּעַר עַמָּא חַד מִסַּיְיפֵי עָלְמָא, עַל רוֹמִי חַיָּיבָא, וְיִגַּח בָּהּ קְרָבָא תְּלַת יַרְחִין, וְיִתְכַּנְּשׁוּן תַּמָּן עֲמַמְיָּא, וְיִפְּלוּן בִּידַיְיהוּ, עַד דְּיִתְכַּנְּשׁוּן כָּל בְּנִי אֱדוֹם עָלָּה, מִכָּל סַיְיפֵי עָלְמָא. וּכְדֵין יִתְּעַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלַיְיהוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ל״ד:ו׳) כִּי זֶבַח לַיְיָ' בְּבָצְרָה וְגוֹ'. וּלְבָתַר דָּא מַה כְּתִיב, לֶאֱחוֹז בְּכַנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ' וִישֵׁיצֵי לִבְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִינָהּ, וְיִתְבַּר כָּל חֵילִין דִּלְעֵילָּא וְלָא יִשְׁתְּאַר חֵילָא לְעֵילָּא עַל עַמָּא דְּעָלְמָא, אֶלָּא חֵילָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים קכ״א:ה׳) יְיָ' צִלְּךָ עַל יַד יְמִינֶךָ.
Then a nation from the furthest ends of the earth will rise against wicked Rome and fight against her for three months, and many nations will gather there and fall into the hands of that people, until all the sons of Edom will congregate against her from all the ends of the earth. Then the Holy One will rise against them, as it says: “A slaughter of the Lord in Bazrah and a great slaughter in the land of Edom” (Isa. 34, 6). He will “take hold of the ends of the earth that the wicked might be shaken out of it” (Job 38, 16). He will wipe out the children of Ishmael from the Holy Land, and crush all the powers and principalities of the nations in the supramundane world, and only one power will remain above to rule over the nations of the world, namely the power representing Israel, as it is written: “The Lord is thy shadow at thy right hand” (Ps. 121, 5).
בְּגִין דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בִּימִינָא, וְאוֹרַיְיתָא בִּימִינָא, וְעַל דָּא בִּימִינָא תַּלְיָא כֹּלָּא וְתָנֵינָן, דְּבָעֵי לְזַקְפָא יְמִינָא עַל שְׂמָאלָא, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ. דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים ל"ג) מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ. וּבְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי, (תהילים ס׳:ז׳) הוֹשִׁיעָה יְמִינְךָ וַעֲנֵנִי. וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא כְּתִיב, (צפניה ג׳:ט׳) כִּי אָז אֶהְפּוֹךְ אֶל עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה לִקְרֹא כֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יְיָ' לְעָבְדוֹ שְׁכֶם אֶחָד. וּכְתִיב, (זכריה י״ד:ט׳) בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה ה' אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד. בָּרוּךְ יְיָ' לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
For the Holy Name is at the Right, and the Torah is at the Right, and therefore all depends on the Right, and likewise the future salvation is at the Right, as it says: “Save with thy right hand” (Ps. 60, 7). Concerning that time it is written: “Then I will turn to the peoples a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent” (Zeph. 3, 9), and on that day “will the Lord be one and his name one ” (Zech. 14, 9). Blessed be the Lord for ever and ever. Amen and amen.’