“It was on the day when the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 6:28). “The Lord said to Moses: See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother will be your prophet” (Exodus 7:1). “It was on the day when the Lord.… The Lord said to Moses: See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh” – that is what is written: “Lift your heads, gates” (Psalms 24:7). Solomon recited this verse when he was taking the Ark into the Holy of Holies. He crafted an Ark that was ten cubits [wide]. When he arrived at the entrance of the Temple, the entrance was ten cubits and the Ark was ten cubits, and ten cubits are unable to enter into ten cubits. Moreover, they were carrying it [and there was certainly not enough space for those bearing the Ark to enter]. When he came to take it in, he was unable to do so. Solomon stood and was embarrassed and did not know what to do. He began praying before the Holy One blessed be He. What did Solomon do? Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, say: He went and brought David’s coffin, and said: “Lord, God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed” (II Chronicles 6:42). Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: At that moment, David came alive, as you may expound [from the verse]: “Lord, You took up my soul from the grave, you kept me alive so I would not descent into the pit” (Psalms 30:4). Solomon was saying: ‘Master of the universe, do so due to the merit of this one,’ as it is stated: “Remember the kindnesses of David Your servant” (II Chronicles 6:42). Immediately, [his prayer] was answered. What is written thereafter? “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from the heavens and consumed the burnt offering and the offerings, and the glory of the Lord filled the house” (II Chronicles 7:1). The Divine Spirit was shouting and saying: “I praise the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still alive” (Ecclesiastes 4:2). Solomon began saying: “Lift your heads, gates, and be uplifted, everlasting doors; and the King of glory will come” (Psalms 24:7). The gates said to him: “Who then is the King of glory?” (Psalms 24:10). He said to them: “The Lord of Hosts; He is the king of glory. Selah” (Psalms 24:10). When he said this to them, they were immediately calmed. Had it not been so, they would have attempted to crush his skull to kill him. Another interpretation: “Who then is the King of glory?” – why did he call the Holy One blessed be He the King of glory? It is because He allots glory to those who fear Him. How so? A king of flesh and blood, one does not ride his horse and one does not sit on his throne. But the Holy One blessed be He seated Solomon on His throne, as it is stated: “Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king” (I Chronicles 29:23), and He had Elijah ride on His horse. What is the horse of the Holy One blessed be He? It is the whirlwind and the storm, as it is stated: “The Lord, in the whirlwind and in the storm is His way, and the clouds are the dust of His feet” (Nahum 1:3). And it is written: “Elijah went up by the whirlwind to the heavens” (II Kings 2:11). A king of flesh and blood, one does not use his scepter; but the Holy One blessed be He passed His scepter to Moses, as it is stated: “Moses took the staff of God in his hand” (Exodus 4:20). A king of flesh and blood, one does not wear his crown; but the Holy One blessed be He is destined to place His crown on the messianic king. What is the crown of the Holy One blessed be He? It is the finest gold, as it is stated: “His head is the finest gold; his locks are curled, black as a raven” (Song of Songs 5:11), and it is written: “You set a crown of fine gold on his head” (Psalms 21:4).1This verse refers to the messianic king. A king of flesh and blood, one does not don his garments; but Israel dons the garments of the Holy One blessed be He. What are the garments of the Holy One blessed be He? Strength, as it is stated: “The Lord is clothed, He had girded Himself with strength” (Psalms 93:1). He gave it to Israel, as it is stated: “The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11). A king of flesh and blood, one is not called by his name, [such as] Caesar Augustus, and one who is called by his name, they would execute him; but the Holy One blessed be He called Moses by His name, as it is stated: “See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh.” The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘The wicked Pharaoh made himself a god, as it is stated: “My river is mine, and I have made it for myself” (Ezekiel 29:3); therefore, he will see you and say: This is a god.’
Pharaoh was one of four people who rendered themselves deities and [thereby] caused themselves harm, and they are: Ḥiram, Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, and Yoash king of Judah. Ḥiram, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Say to the prince of Tyre…and you said: I am a god” (Ezekiel 28:2). From where is it derived that he destroyed himself? It is as it is stated: “Your heart was elevated because of your beauty, you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness; I have cast you to the ground, I have placed you before kings to gaze upon you” (Ezekiel 28:17). Nebuchadnezzar, from where is it derived that he rendered himself a deity? It is as it is written: “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Yet you shall be brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit” (Isaiah 14:15). What did the Holy One blessed be He do to him? He exiled him to the wilderness while he was still reigning, and fed him grass like animals [eat], as it is stated: “And ate grass like oxen” (Daniel 4:30). And the animals and the beasts would see him in the image of a female, as it is stated: “And the destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid [yeḥitan]; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city…” (Habakkuk 2:17), similar to the matter that is stated: “You shall not marry [titḥaten] them” (Deuteronomy 7:3).2The implication is that the other animals will force themselves upon this animal, i.e., Nebuchadnezzar. Nevertheless, “a man’s heart was given to it” (Daniel 7:4),3Even when Nebuchadnezzar was in that state, he was still able to appreciate that all of this was from God to subdue him. as it is written: “And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to the heavens, and my understanding returned to me” (Daniel 4:31).4The verse concludes: “I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom from generation to generation.” Pharaoh, from where is it derived that he rendered himself a deity? It is as it is stated: “My river is mine, and I have made it for myself” (Ezekiel 29:3). The Holy One blessed be He delivered him into the hand of his enemies, as it is stated: “So said the Lord: Behold, I will give Pharaoh Ḥofra king of Egypt [into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life]” (Jeremiah 44:30). What is Ḥofra? It is similar to the matter that is stated: “He shall loosen [ufara] the hair on the woman’s head and put the meal offering of memorial in her hands” (Numbers 5:18), and it is written: “On that day, Egypt will be like women” (Isaiah 19:16). Yoash, from where is it derived that he rendered himself a deity? It is as it is written: “After the death of Yehoyada the princes of Judah came and prostrated themselves before the king; then the king listened to them” (II Chronicles 24:17). What is “and prostrated themselves before the king”? It is that they rendered him a deity. They said to him: ‘Were you not a god, you would not have emerged from the Holy of Holies after seven years.’ He said to them: ‘This is so.’ He accepted upon himself to be rendered a deity, and engendered his demise, as it is stated: “It was at the turn of the year that the Aramean army rose against him” (II Chronicles 24:23), and it is written: “They executed judgment [shefatim] upon Yoash” (II Chronicles 24:24). Do not read it as shefatim, but rather as shefutim,5A reference to the verse: “They exposed her nakedness…she became a byword among women, for judgments [shefutim] were executed upon her” (Ezekiel 23:10). and it is written: “When they departed from him, as they left him with great diseases…he died…but they did not bury him in the burials of the kings” (II Chronicles 24:25). What caused Pharaoh to be stricken? It is because he said: “My river is mine, and I have made it for myself.” That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh.” “For one higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they” (Ecclesiastes 5:7). Go and render he who rendered himself a deity despicable in the world, because he elevated himself, as it is stated: “He sees all the elevated, He is king over all the despicable” (Job 41:26). Does He see only the elevated, and the lowly He does not see? But is it not written: “The eyes of the Lord, they range over the entire earth” (Zechariah 4:10)? Rather, Rabbi Berekhya said: These are the haughty who render themselves deities, and the Holy One blessed be He renders them despicable in the world. Likewise, Sennacherib was haughty and was rendered despicable in the world, as it is stated: “It was that night, the angel of the Lord emerged, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand” (II Kings 19:35) men. That is why it is written: “He sees all the elevated”; the Holy One blessed be He shows the despicableness of the haughty to all beings. The Holy One blessed be He said: “Can a man hide himself in secret places and I will not see him? – says the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:24). Rabbi Binyamin bar Levi said: [God says:] If a person sits in the corner and engages in Torah study, I display him to the people. If a person conceals himself for idol worship, I display him to the people, as it is stated: “Can a man hide himself in secret places and I will not see him?” Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: [God says:] I fill the upper and the lower worlds with him, and show his degradation to the people. That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh.”
‘Go and exact retribution from him’6When God said to Moses: “I have set you as god to Pharaoh,” He was saying: Go exact retribution [hipara] from him. – he said to Him: ‘How will I bring upon him ten plagues?’ He said to him: “You shall take in your hand this staff” (Exodus 4:17). Rabbi Yehuda said: The weight of the staff was forty se’a, and it was made of sapphire, and the ten plagues were etched on it in acronym form, detzakh adash be’aḥav.7This is an acronym of the initials of the plagues: Blood [dam], frogs [tzefarde’a], lice [kinnim] – detzakh; wild beasts [arov], pestilence [dever], boils [shekhin] – adash; hail [barad], locusts [arbeh], darkness [ḥoshekh], firstborn [bekhorot] – be’aḥav. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘In this order, bring the plagues upon him.’ “And Aaron your brother will be your prophet” – just as the lecturer sits and lectures and the amora8After the lecturer stated an excerpt of the lecture that was heard only by the amora, the amora would repeat it in loud voice and occasionally elaborate upon it for the benefit of the audience. speaks before him, so too, “you shall speak everything that I command you; and Aaron your brother will speak to Pharaoh” (Exodus 7:2), and all the matters were accomplished by the two of them, as it is stated: “Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders” (Exodus 11:10).
וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם דִּבֶּר ה' וגו' וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה רְאֵה נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים כד, ז): שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם, שְׁלֹמֹה אָמַר הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהִכְנִיס הָאָרוֹן לְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים עָשָׂה אָרוֹן שֶׁל עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְפֶתַח בֵּית הַמִּקְדָשׁ הָיָה הַפֶּתַח שֶׁל עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת וְהָאָרוֹן שֶׁל עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת, וְאֵין עֲשָׂרָה אַמּוֹת יְכוֹלִין לְהִכָּנֵס בְּתוֹךְ עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת, וְעוֹד שֶׁהָיוּ טְעוּנִין בּוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא לְהַכְנִיסוֹ לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל, עָמַד שְׁלֹמֹה וְהָיָה מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ וְלֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת, הִתְחִיל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מֶה עָשָׂה שְׁלֹמֹה אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה הָלַךְ וְהֵבִיא אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל דָּוִד וְאָמַר (דברי הימים ב ו, מב): ה' אֱלֹהִים אַל תָּשֵׁב פְּנֵי מְשִׁיחֶךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה חָיָה דָוִד, וְהַכֹּל מִמְךָ לִדְרשׁ, שֶׁכֵּן דָּוִד אוֹמֵר (תהלים ל, ד): ה' הֶעֱלִיתָ מִן שְׁאוֹל נַפְשִׁי חִיִּיתַנִּי מִיָּרְדִי בוֹר, וְהָיָה שְׁלֹמֹה אוֹמֵר רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים עֲשֵׂה בִּזְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב ו, מב): זָכְרָה לְחַסְדֵי דָוִיד עַבְדֶּךָ, מִיָּד נַעֲנָה, מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו (דברי הימים ב ו, ז, א): וּכְכַלּוֹת שְׁלֹמֹה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וְהָאֵשׁ יָרְדָה מֵהַשָּׁמַיִם וַתֹּאכַל הָעֹלָה וְהַזְּבָחִים וּכְבוֹד ה' מָלֵא אֶת הַבָּיִת, וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צוֹוַחַת וְאוֹמֶרֶת (קהלת ד, ב): וְשַׁבֵּחַ אֲנִי אֶת הַמֵּתִים שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ מִן הַחַיִּים אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה חַיִּים עֲדֶנָּה. הִתְחִיל שְׁלֹמֹה אוֹמֵר (תהלים כד, ז): שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וְהִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם וְיָבוֹא מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד. אָמְרוּ לוֹ הַשְּׁעָרִים (תהלים כד, י): מִי הוּא זֶה מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד, אָמַר לָהֶם (תהלים כד, י): ה' צְבָאוֹת הוּא מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד סֶלָּה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם כֵּן מִיָּד שָׁכָכוּ, אִלּוּלֵי כֵן בִּקְּשׁוּ לָרֹץ אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ לַהֲמִיתוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִי הוּא זֶה מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד, לָמָּה קָרָא לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֶלֶךְ הַכָּבוֹד, שֶׁהוּא חוֹלֵק כָּבוֹד לִירֵאָיו. כֵּיצַד, מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם אֵין רוֹכְבִין עַל סוּסוֹ, וְאֵין יוֹשְׁבִין עַל כִּסְאוֹ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוֹשִׁיב לִשְׁלֹמֹה עַל כִּסְאוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים א כט, כג): וַיֵּשֶׁב שְׁלֹמֹה עַל כִּסֵּא ה' לְמֶלֶךְ. וְהִרְכִּיב לְאֵלִיָּהוּ עַל סוּסוֹ. וּמַהוּ סוּסוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, סוּפָה וּסְעָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (נחום א, ג): ה' בְּסוּפָה וּבִסְעָרָה דַרְכּוֹ וְעָנָן אֲבַק רַגְלָיו, וּכְתִיב (מלכים ב ב, יא): וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסֳעָרָה הַשָּׁמָיִם. מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם אֵין מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בְּשַׁרְבִיטוֹ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מָסַר שַׁרְבִיטוֹ לְמשֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ד, כ): וַיִּקַּח משֶׁה אֶת מַטֵּה הָאֱלֹהִים בְּיָדוֹ. מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם, אֵין לוֹבְשִׁין עֲטָרָה שֶׁלּוֹ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָתִיד לְהַלְבִּישׁ עֲטָרָה שֶׁלּוֹ לְמֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וּמַהוּ עֲטָרָה שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כֶּתֶם פָּז, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ה, יא): רֹאשׁוֹ כֶּתֶם פָּז קְוֻצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחוֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב, וּכְתִיב (תהלים כא, ד): תָּשִׁית לְרֹאשׁוֹ עֲטֶרֶת פָּז. מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם, אֵין לוֹבְשִׁין לְבוּשׁוֹ, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לוֹבְשִׁין לְבוּשׁוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וּמַהוּ לְבוּשׁוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עֹז, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צג, א): לָבֵשׁ ה' עֹז הִתְאַזָּר, וּנְתָנוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים כט, יא): ה' עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן ה' יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם. מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם, אֵין נִקְרָאִין בִּשְׁמוֹ, קֵיסָר אֲגוּסְטָא. וְאִם נִקְרָאִין בִּשְׁמוֹ הָיוּ מְמִיתִין אוֹתוֹ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קָרָא לְמשֶׁה בִּשְׁמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: רְאֵה נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, פַּרְעֹה הָרָשָׁע עָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כט, ג): לִי יְאוֹרִי וַאֲנִי עֲשִׂיתִנִּי, לְפִיכָךְ יִרְאֶה אוֹתְךָ וְיֹאמַר שֶׁזֶּה אֱלוֹהַּ.
“It was on the day when the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 6:28).
“The Lord said to Moses: See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother will be your prophet” (Exodus 7:1).
“It was on the day when the Lord.… The Lord said to Moses: See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh” – that is what is written: “Lift your heads, gates” (Psalms 24:7). Solomon recited this verse when he was taking the Ark into the Holy of Holies. He crafted an Ark that was ten cubits [wide]. When he arrived at the entrance of the Temple, the entrance was ten cubits and the Ark was ten cubits, and ten cubits are unable to enter into ten cubits. Moreover, they were carrying it [and there was certainly not enough space for those bearing the Ark to enter]. When he came to take it in, he was unable to do so. Solomon stood and was embarrassed and did not know what to do. He began praying before the Holy One blessed be He.
What did Solomon do? Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, say: He went and brought David’s coffin, and said: “Lord, God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed” (II Chronicles 6:42). Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: At that moment, David came alive, as you may expound [from the verse]: “Lord, You took up my soul from the grave, you kept me alive so I would not descent into the pit” (Psalms 30:4). Solomon was saying: ‘Master of the universe, do so due to the merit of this one,’ as it is stated: “Remember the kindnesses of David Your servant” (II Chronicles 6:42). Immediately, [his prayer] was answered. What is written thereafter? “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from the heavens and consumed the burnt offering and the offerings, and the glory of the Lord filled the house” (II Chronicles 7:1). The Divine Spirit was shouting and saying: “I praise the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still alive” (Ecclesiastes 4:2).
Solomon began saying: “Lift your heads, gates, and be uplifted, everlasting doors; and the King of glory will come” (Psalms 24:7). The gates said to him: “Who then is the King of glory?” (Psalms 24:10). He said to them: “The Lord of Hosts; He is the king of glory. Selah” (Psalms 24:10). When he said this to them, they were immediately calmed. Had it not been so, they would have attempted to crush his skull to kill him.
Another interpretation: “Who then is the King of glory?” – why did he call the Holy One blessed be He the King of glory? It is because He allots glory to those who fear Him. How so? A king of flesh and blood, one does not ride his horse and one does not sit on his throne. But the Holy One blessed be He seated Solomon on His throne, as it is stated: “Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king” (I Chronicles 29:23), and He had Elijah ride on His horse. What is the horse of the Holy One blessed be He? It is the whirlwind and the storm, as it is stated: “The Lord, in the whirlwind and in the storm is His way, and the clouds are the dust of His feet” (Nahum 1:3). And it is written: “Elijah went up by the whirlwind to the heavens” (II Kings 2:11).
A king of flesh and blood, one does not use his scepter; but the Holy One blessed be He passed His scepter to Moses, as it is stated: “Moses took the staff of God in his hand” (Exodus 4:20). A king of flesh and blood, one does not wear his crown; but the Holy One blessed be He is destined to place His crown on the messianic king. What is the crown of the Holy One blessed be He? It is the finest gold, as it is stated: “His head is the finest gold; his locks are curled, black as a raven” (Song of Songs 5:11), and it is written: “You set a crown of fine gold on his head” (Psalms 21:4).1This verse refers to the messianic king. A king of flesh and blood, one does not don his garments; but Israel dons the garments of the Holy One blessed be He. What are the garments of the Holy One blessed be He? Strength, as it is stated: “The Lord is clothed, He had girded Himself with strength” (Psalms 93:1). He gave it to Israel, as it is stated: “The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11).
A king of flesh and blood, one is not called by his name, [such as] Caesar Augustus, and one who is called by his name, they would execute him; but the Holy One blessed be He called Moses by His name, as it is stated: “See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh.” The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘The wicked Pharaoh made himself a god, as it is stated: “My river is mine, and I have made it for myself” (Ezekiel 29:3); therefore, he will see you and say: This is a god.’
פַּרְעֹה הָיָה אֶחָד מֵאַרְבָּעָה בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁעָשׂוּ עַצְמָן אֱלָהוּת וְהֵרֵעוּ לְנַפְשָׁם, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: חִירָם, וּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, וּפַרְעֹה, וְיוֹאָשׁ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה. חִירָם מִנַיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כח, ב): אֱמֹר לִנְגִיד צֹר וגו' וַתֹּאמֶר אֵל אָנִי. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁשִּׁחֵת לְנַפְשׁוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כח, יז): גָּבַהּ לִבְּךָ בְּיָפְיֶךָ שִׁחַתָּ חָכְמָתְךָ עַל יִפְעָתֶךָ עַל אֶרֶץ הִשְׁלַכְתִּיךָ לִפְנֵי מְלָכִים נְתַתִּיךָ לְרַאֲוָה בָּךְ. נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מִנַּיִן, שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה יד, יד): אֶעֱלֶה עַל בָּמֳתֵי עָב אֶדַּמֶּה לְעֶלְיוֹן, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (ישעיה יד, טו): אַךְ אֶל שְׁאוֹל תּוּרָד אֶל יַרְכְּתֵי בוֹר. מֶה עָשָׂה לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִגְלָהוּ לַמִּדְבָּר עַד שֶׁהוּא בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ וְהֶאֱכִילוֹ עֵשֶׂב כַּבְּהֵמוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ד, ל): וְעִשְׂבָּא כְתוֹרִין יֵאכֻל. וְהָיוּ הַבְּהֵמוֹת וְהַחַיּוֹת רוֹאִין אוֹתוֹ בִּדְמוּת נְקֵבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (חבקוק כ, יז): וְשֹׁד בְּהֵמוֹת יְחִיתַן מִדְּמֵי אָדָם וַחֲמַס אֶרֶץ קִרְיָה וגו', כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ז, ג): וְלֹא תִתְחַתֵּן בָּם, וְעַל כָּל זֹאת (דניאל ז, ד): וּלְבַב אֱנָשׁ יְהִיב לַהּ, דִּכְתִיב (דניאל ד, לא): וְלִקְצָת יוֹמַיָּא אֲנָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר עַיְנַי לִשְׁמַיָּא נִטְלֵת וּמַנְדְּעִי עֲלַי יְתוּב, וּפַרְעֹה מִנַּיִן שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כט, ג): לִי יְאֹרִי וַאֲנִי עֲשִׂיתִנִי, מְסָרוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיַד אוֹיְבָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה מד, ל): כֹּה אָמַר ה' הִנְנִי נֹתֵן אֶת פַּרְעֹה חָפְרַע מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, מַהוּ חָפְרַע, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ה, יח): וּפָרַע אֶת רֹאשׁ הָאִשָּׁה וְנָתַן עַל כַּפֶּיהָ אֵת מִנְחַת הַזִּכָּרוֹן, וּכְתִיב (ישעיה יט, טז): בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה מִצְרַיִם כַּנָּשִׁים. יוֹאָשׁ מִנַּיִן שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ, דִּכְתִיב (דברי הימים ב כד, יז): וְאַחֲרֵי מוֹת יְהוֹיָדָע בָּאוּ שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַמֶּלֶךְ אָז שָׁמַע הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲלֵיהֶם, מַהוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַמֶּלֶךְ, שֶׁעֲשָׂאוּהוּ אֱלוֹהַּ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁאַתָּה אֱלוֹהַּ לֹא הָיִיתָ יוֹצֵא לְאַחַר שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים מִבֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים, אָמַר לָהֶן כָּךְ הוּא, וְקִבֵּל עַל עַצְמוֹ לֵעָשׂוֹת אֱלוֹהַּ, וְהִשְׁחִית לְנַפְשׁוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב כד, כג): וַיְהִי לִתְקוּפַת הַשָּׁנָה עָלָה עָלָיו חֵיל אֲרָם, וּכְתִיב (דברי הימים ב כד, כד): וְאֶת יוֹאָשׁ עָשׂוּ שְׁפָטִים, אַל תִּקְרֵי שְׁפָטִים אֶלָּא שְׁפוּטִים, וּכְתִיב (דברי הימים ב כד, כה): וּבְלֶכְתָּם מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי עָזְבוּ אֹתוֹ בְּמַחֲלֻיִים רַבִּים וגו' וַיָּמֹת [וגו'] וְלֹא קְבָרוּהוּ בְּקִבְרוֹת הַמְלָכִים. וּמִי גָרַם לְפַרְעֹה שֶׁיִּלְקֶה, עַל שֶׁאָמַר: לִי יְאֹרִי וַאֲנִי עֲשִׂיתִנִי, לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה: רְאֵה נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה. (קהלת ה, ז): כִּי גָּבֹהַּ מֵעַל גָּבֹהַּ שֹׁמֵר וּגְבֹהִים עֲלֵיהֶם, לֵךְ וַעֲשֵׂה מִי שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ שַׁחַץ בָּעוֹלָם עַל שֶׁהִגְבִּיהַּ עַצְמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב מא, כו): אֵת כָּל גָּבֹהַּ יִרְאֶה הוּא מֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל בְּנֵי שָׁחַץ, וְכִי גָבוֹהַּ יִרְאֶה וְשָׁפָל אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה, וְהָכְתִיב (זכריה ד, י): עֵינֵי ה' הֵמָּה מְשׁוֹטְטִים בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ, אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אֵלּוּ הַגֵּיוְתָנִין שֶׁעוֹשִׂין עַצְמָן אֱלוֹהוּת וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה מֵהֶן שְׁחָצִים בָּעוֹלָם. וְכֵן סַנְחֵרִיב נִתְגָּאֶה וְנַעֲשָׂה שַׁחַץ בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים ב יט, לה): וַיְהִי בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיֵּצֵא מַלְאַךְ ה' וַיַּךְ בְּמַחֲנֵה אַשּׁוּר מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף אִישׁ, לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: אֵת כָּל גָּבֹהַּ יִרְאֶה, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַרְאֶה שַׁחַץ שֶׁל גֵּיוְתָנִים לְכָל הַבְּרִיּוֹת. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (ירמיה כג, כד): אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִים וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶרְאֶנּוּ נְאֻם ה', אָמַר רַבִּי בִּנְיָמִין בַּר לֵוִי אִם יֵשֵׁב אָדָם בְּזָוִית וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה אֲנִי מַרְאֵהוּ לַבְּרִיּוֹת, אִם יַטְמִין אָדָם עַצְמוֹ לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, אֲנִי מַרְאֵהוּ לַבְּרִיוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִים וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶרְאֶנּוּ, אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אֲנִי מְמַלֵּא מִמֶּנּוּ הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּמַרְאֶה שַׁחֲצוֹ לַבְּרִיּוֹת, לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה: רְאֵה נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה.
Pharaoh was one of four people who rendered themselves deities and [thereby] caused themselves harm, and they are: Ḥiram, Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, and Yoash king of Judah. Ḥiram, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Say to the prince of Tyre…and you said: I am a god” (Ezekiel 28:2). From where is it derived that he destroyed himself? It is as it is stated: “Your heart was elevated because of your beauty, you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness; I have cast you to the ground, I have placed you before kings to gaze upon you” (Ezekiel 28:17).
Nebuchadnezzar, from where is it derived that he rendered himself a deity? It is as it is written: “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Yet you shall be brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit” (Isaiah 14:15). What did the Holy One blessed be He do to him? He exiled him to the wilderness while he was still reigning, and fed him grass like animals [eat], as it is stated: “And ate grass like oxen” (Daniel 4:30). And the animals and the beasts would see him in the image of a female, as it is stated: “And the destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid [yeḥitan]; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to the city…” (Habakkuk 2:17), similar to the matter that is stated: “You shall not marry [titḥaten] them” (Deuteronomy 7:3).2The implication is that the other animals will force themselves upon this animal, i.e., Nebuchadnezzar. Nevertheless, “a man’s heart was given to it” (Daniel 7:4),3Even when Nebuchadnezzar was in that state, he was still able to appreciate that all of this was from God to subdue him. as it is written: “And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to the heavens, and my understanding returned to me” (Daniel 4:31).4The verse concludes: “I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom from generation to generation.”
Pharaoh, from where is it derived that he rendered himself a deity? It is as it is stated: “My river is mine, and I have made it for myself” (Ezekiel 29:3). The Holy One blessed be He delivered him into the hand of his enemies, as it is stated: “So said the Lord: Behold, I will give Pharaoh Ḥofra king of Egypt [into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life]” (Jeremiah 44:30). What is Ḥofra? It is similar to the matter that is stated: “He shall loosen [ufara] the hair on the woman’s head and put the meal offering of memorial in her hands” (Numbers 5:18), and it is written: “On that day, Egypt will be like women” (Isaiah 19:16).
Yoash, from where is it derived that he rendered himself a deity? It is as it is written: “After the death of Yehoyada the princes of Judah came and prostrated themselves before the king; then the king listened to them” (II Chronicles 24:17). What is “and prostrated themselves before the king”? It is that they rendered him a deity. They said to him: ‘Were you not a god, you would not have emerged from the Holy of Holies after seven years.’ He said to them: ‘This is so.’ He accepted upon himself to be rendered a deity, and engendered his demise, as it is stated: “It was at the turn of the year that the Aramean army rose against him” (II Chronicles 24:23), and it is written: “They executed judgment [shefatim] upon Yoash” (II Chronicles 24:24). Do not read it as shefatim, but rather as shefutim,5A reference to the verse: “They exposed her nakedness…she became a byword among women, for judgments [shefutim] were executed upon her” (Ezekiel 23:10). and it is written: “When they departed from him, as they left him with great diseases…he died…but they did not bury him in the burials of the kings” (II Chronicles 24:25).
What caused Pharaoh to be stricken? It is because he said: “My river is mine, and I have made it for myself.” That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh.” “For one higher than the high is watching, and there are higher than they” (Ecclesiastes 5:7). Go and render he who rendered himself a deity despicable in the world, because he elevated himself, as it is stated: “He sees all the elevated, He is king over all the despicable” (Job 41:26). Does He see only the elevated, and the lowly He does not see? But is it not written: “The eyes of the Lord, they range over the entire earth” (Zechariah 4:10)? Rather, Rabbi Berekhya said: These are the haughty who render themselves deities, and the Holy One blessed be He renders them despicable in the world.
Likewise, Sennacherib was haughty and was rendered despicable in the world, as it is stated: “It was that night, the angel of the Lord emerged, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand” (II Kings 19:35) men. That is why it is written: “He sees all the elevated”; the Holy One blessed be He shows the despicableness of the haughty to all beings.
The Holy One blessed be He said: “Can a man hide himself in secret places and I will not see him? – says the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:24). Rabbi Binyamin bar Levi said: [God says:] If a person sits in the corner and engages in Torah study, I display him to the people. If a person conceals himself for idol worship, I display him to the people, as it is stated: “Can a man hide himself in secret places and I will not see him?” Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: [God says:] I fill the upper and the lower worlds with him, and show his degradation to the people. That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “See, I have set you as god to Pharaoh.”
לֵךְ וְהִפָּרַע מִמֶּנּוּ, אָמַר לוֹ הֵיאַךְ אָבִיא עָלָיו עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת, אָמַר לוֹ (שמות ד, יז): וְאֶת הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הַמַּטֶּה מִשְׁקַל אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה הָיָה וְשֶׁל סְנַפְּרִינוּן הָיָה, וְעֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת חֲקוּקוֹת עָלָיו נוֹטָרִיקוֹן, דצ"ך, עד"ש, באח"ב. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּטַכְסִיס הַזֶּה הָבֵא עָלָיו אֶת הַמַּכּוֹת. וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ יִהְיֶה נְבִיאֶךָ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַדּוֹרֵשׁ יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ וְהָאָמוֹרָא אוֹמֵר לְפָנָיו, כָּךְ אַתָּה תְּדַבֵּר אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּךָֹּ וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ יְדַבֵּר אֶל פַּרְעֹה, וְעַל יְדֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם נַעֲשׂוּ כָּל הַדְּבָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יא, י): וּמשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עָשׂוּ אֶת כָּל הַמֹּפְתִים הָאֵלֶּה.
‘Go and exact retribution from him’6When God said to Moses: “I have set you as god to Pharaoh,” He was saying: Go exact retribution [hipara] from him. – he said to Him: ‘How will I bring upon him ten plagues?’ He said to him: “You shall take in your hand this staff” (Exodus 4:17). Rabbi Yehuda said: The weight of the staff was forty se’a, and it was made of sapphire, and the ten plagues were etched on it in acronym form, detzakh adash be’aḥav.7This is an acronym of the initials of the plagues: Blood [dam], frogs [tzefarde’a], lice [kinnim] – detzakh; wild beasts [arov], pestilence [dever], boils [shekhin] – adash; hail [barad], locusts [arbeh], darkness [ḥoshekh], firstborn [bekhorot] – be’aḥav. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘In this order, bring the plagues upon him.’
“And Aaron your brother will be your prophet” – just as the lecturer sits and lectures and the amora8After the lecturer stated an excerpt of the lecture that was heard only by the amora, the amora would repeat it in loud voice and occasionally elaborate upon it for the benefit of the audience. speaks before him, so too, “you shall speak everything that I command you; and Aaron your brother will speak to Pharaoh” (Exodus 7:2), and all the matters were accomplished by the two of them, as it is stated: “Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders” (Exodus 11:10).