Berakhot 58a

אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר: נִתְקַלְּלָה בָּבֶל — נִתְקַלְּלוּ שְׁכֵנֶיהָ. נִתְקַלְּלָה שׁוֹמְרוֹן — נִתְבָּרְכוּ שְׁכֵנֶיהָ: נִתְקַלְּלָה בָּבֶל — נִתְקַלְּלוּ שְׁכֵנֶיהָ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְשַׂמְתִּיהָ לְמוֹרַשׁ קִפֹּד וְאַגְמֵי מָיִם״. נִתְקַלְּלָה שׁוֹמְרוֹן נִתְבָּרְכוּ שְׁכֵנֶיהָ — דִּכְתִיב: ״וְשַׂמְתִּי שֹׁמְרוֹן לְעִי הַשָּׂדֶה לְמַטָּעֵי כָרֶם וְגוֹ׳״.

With regard to Babylonia, the Gemara cites what Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: When Babylonia was cursed, its neighbors were cursed along with it. When Samaria was cursed, its neighbors were blessed. When Babylonia was cursed its neighbors were cursed along with it, as it is written: “I will also make it a possession for the bittern, a wading bird, and pools of water” (Isaiah 14:23); not only will it be destroyed, but the site will become a habitat for destructive, environmentally harmful creatures. When Samaria was cursed, however, its neighbors were blessed, as it is written: “Therefore I will make Samaria a heap in the field, a place for the planting of vineyards” (Micah 1:6); although destroyed, it will serve a beneficial purpose.

וְאָמַר רַב הַמְנוּנָא: הָרוֹאֶה אוּכְלוּסֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … חֲכַם הָרָזִים״. אוּכְלוּסֵי גּוֹיִם, אוֹמֵר: ״בּוֹשָׁה אִמְּכֶם וְגוֹ׳״.

And Rav Hamnuna said: One who sees multitudes of Israel, six hundred thousand Jews, recites: Blessed…Who knows all secrets. One who sees multitudes of gentiles recites: “Your mother shall be sore ashamed, she that bore you shall be confounded; behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert” (Jeremiah 50:12).

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הָרוֹאֶה אוּכְלוּסֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … חֲכַם הָרָזִים״ — שֶׁאֵין דַּעְתָּם דּוֹמָה זֶה לָזֶה, וְאֵין פַּרְצוּפֵיהֶן דּוֹמִים זֶה לָזֶה. בֶּן זוֹמָא רָאָה אוּכְלוּסָא עַל גַּב מַעֲלָה בְּהַר הַבַּיִת, אָמַר: ״בָּרוּךְ … חֲכַם הָרָזִים וּבָרוּךְ … שֶׁבָּרָא כׇּל אֵלּוּ לְשַׁמְּשֵׁנִי״.

The Sages taught in a Tosefta : One who sees multitudes of Israel recites: Blessed…Who knows all secrets. Why is this? He sees a whole nation whose minds are unlike each other and whose faces are unlike each other, and He Who knows all secrets, God, knows what is in each of their hearts. The Gemara relates: Ben Zoma once saw a multitude [ okhlosa ] of Israel while standing on a stair on the Temple Mount. He immediately recited: Blessed…Who knows all secrets and Blessed…Who created all these to serve me.

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: כַּמָּה יְגִיעוֹת יָגַע אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן עַד שֶׁמָּצָא פַּת לֶאֱכוֹל: חָרַשׁ, וְזָרַע, וְקָצַר, וְעִמֵּר, וְדָשׁ, וְזָרָה, וּבָרַר, וְטָחַן, וְהִרְקִיד, וְלָשׁ, וְאָפָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָכַל. וַאֲנִי מַשְׁכִּים וּמוֹצֵא כׇּל אֵלּוּ מְתוּקָּנִין לְפָנַי. וְכַמָּה יְגִיעוֹת יָגַע אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן עַד שֶׁמָּצָא בֶּגֶד לִלְבּוֹשׁ: גָּזַז, וְלִבֵּן, וְנִפֵּץ, וְטָוָה, וְאָרַג, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מָצָא בֶּגֶד לִלְבּוֹשׁ, וַאֲנִי מַשְׁכִּים וּמוֹצֵא כׇּל אֵלֶּה מְתוּקָּנִים לְפָנַי. כׇּל אוּמּוֹת שׁוֹקְדוֹת וּבָאוֹת לְפֶתַח בֵּיתִי, וַאֲנִי מַשְׁכִּים וּמוֹצֵא כׇּל אֵלּוּ לְפָנַי.

Explaining his custom, he would say: How much effort did Adam the first man exert before he found bread to eat: He plowed, sowed, reaped, sheaved, threshed, winnowed in the wind, separated the grain from the chaff, ground the grain into flour, sifted, kneaded, and baked and only thereafter he ate. And I, on the other hand, wake up and find all of these prepared for me. Human society employs a division of labor, and each individual benefits from the service of the entire world. Similarly, how much effort did Adam the first man exert before he found a garment to wear? He sheared, laundered, combed, spun and wove, and only thereafter he found a garment to wear. And I, on the other hand, wake up and find all of these prepared for me. Members of all nations, merchants and craftsmen, diligently come to the entrance of my home, and I wake up and find all of these before me.

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: אוֹרֵחַ טוֹב מַהוּ אוֹמֵר? — כַּמָּה טְרָחוֹת טָרַח בַּעַל הַבַּיִת בִּשְׁבִילִי, כַּמָּה בָּשָׂר הֵבִיא לְפָנַי, כַּמָּה יַיִן הֵבִיא לְפָנַי, כַּמָּה גְּלוּסְקָאוֹת הֵבִיא לְפָנַי, וְכׇל מַה שֶּׁטָּרַח — לֹא טָרַח אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִילִי. אֲבָל אוֹרֵחַ רַע מַהוּ אוֹמֵר? — מַה טּוֹרַח טָרַח בַּעַל הַבַּיִת זֶה? פַּת אַחַת אָכַלְתִּי, חֲתִיכָה אַחַת אָכַלְתִּי, כּוֹס אֶחָד שָׁתִיתִי, כׇּל טוֹרַח שֶׁטָּרַח בַּעַל הַבַּיִת זֶה — לֹא טָרַח אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבָנָיו.

Ben Zoma would say: A good guest, what does he say? How much effort did the host expend on my behalf, how much meat did the host bring before me. How much wine did he bring before me. How many loaves [ geluskaot ] did he bring before me. All the effort that he expended, he expended only for me. However, a bad guest, what does he say? What effort did the host expend? I ate only one piece of bread, I ate only one piece of meat and I drank only one cup of wine. All the effort that the home owner expended he only expended on behalf of his wife and children.

עַל אוֹרֵחַ טוֹב מַהוּ אוֹמֵר? — ״זְכֹר כִּי תַשְׂגִּיא פׇעֳלוֹ אֲשֶׁר שֹׁרְרוּ אֲנָשִׁים״. עַל אוֹרֵחַ רַע כְּתִיב: ״לָכֵן יְרֵאוּהוּ אֲנָשִׁים וְגוֹ׳״.

With regard to a good guest, what does he say? “Remember that you magnify his work, whereof men have sung” (Job 36:24); he praises and acknowledges those who helped him. With regard to a bad guest it is written: “Men do therefore fear him; he regards not any who are wise of heart” (Job 37:24).

״וְהָאִישׁ בִּימֵי שָׁאוּל זָקֵן בָּא בַאֲנָשִׁים״. אָמַר רָבָא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב זְבִיד, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב אוֹשַׁעְיָא: זֶה יִשַׁי אֲבִי דָּוִד שֶׁיָּצָא בְּאוּכְלוּסָא, וְנִכְנַס בְּאוּכְלוּסָא, וְדָרַשׁ בְּאוּכְלוּסָא. אָמַר עוּלָּא: נְקִיטִינַן אֵין אוּכְלוּסָא בְּבָבֶל. תָּנָא: אֵין אוּכְלוּסָא פְּחוּתָה מִשִּׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא.

On the topic of multitudes, the Gemara cites another verse: “And the man in the days of Saul was old, and came among men” (I Samuel 17:12). Rava, and some say Rav Zevid, and some say Rav Oshaya, said: This refers to Yishai, father of David, who always went out with multitudes, and entered with multitudes, and taught Torah with multitudes. Ulla said: We hold there is no multitude in Babylonia. The Sage taught: A multitude is no fewer than six hundred thousand people.

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הָרוֹאֶה חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אוֹמֵר ״בָּרוּךְ … שֶׁחָלַק מֵחׇכְמָתוֹ לִירֵאָיו״. חַכְמֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … שֶׁנָּתַן מֵחׇכְמָתוֹ לְבָשָׂר וָדָם״. הָרוֹאֶה מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … שֶׁחָלַק מִכְּבוֹדוֹ לִירֵאָיו״. מַלְכֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … שֶׁנָּתַן מִכְּבוֹדוֹ לְבָשָׂר וָדָם״.

The Sages taught: One who sees the Sages of Israel recites: Blessed…Who has shared of His wisdom with those who revere Him. One who sees Sages of the nations of the world recites: Blessed…Who has given of His wisdom to flesh and blood. One who sees kings of Israel recites: Blessed…Who has shared of His glory with those who revere Him. One who sees kings of the other nations of the world recites: Blessed…Who has given of His glory to flesh and blood.

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לְעוֹלָם יִשְׁתַּדֵּל אָדָם לָרוּץ לִקְרַאת מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלֹא לִקְרַאת מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְבַד, אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ לִקְרַאת מַלְכֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁאִם יִזְכֶּה — יַבְחִין בֵּין מַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַלְכֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One should always strive to run toward kings of Israel to greet them. And not only should he run toward kings of Israel, but also toward kings of the nations of the world, so that if he will be privileged to witnesses the glory of the Messiah (Rashi) and the World-to-Come, he will distinguish between the kings of Israel and the kings of the nations of the world.

רַב שֵׁשֶׁת סַגִּי נְהוֹר הֲוָה. הֲווֹ קָאָזְלִי כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לְקַבּוֹלֵי אַפֵּי מַלְכָּא, וְקָם אֲזַל בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת. אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חַצְבֵי לְנַהְרָא, כַּגְנֵי לְיָיא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תָּא חֲזִי דְּיָדַעְנָא טְפֵי מִינָּךְ. חֲלַף גּוּנְדָּא קַמַּיְיתָא. כִּי קָא אָוְושָׁא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא: אֲתָא מַלְכָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: לָא קָאָתֵי. חֲלַף גּוּנְדָּא תִּנְיָינָא. כִּי קָא אָוְושָׁא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא: הַשְׁתָּא קָא אָתֵי מַלְכָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: לָא קָא אָתֵי מַלְכָּא. חָלֵיף תְּלִיתַאי. כִּי קָא שָׁתְקָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: וַדַּאי הַשְׁתָּא אָתֵי מַלְכָּא.

The Gemara relates: Rav Sheshet was blind. Everyone was going to greet the king and Rav Sheshet stood up and went along with them. This heretic found him there and said to him: The intact jugs go to the river, where do the broken jugs go? Why is a blind person going to see the king? Rav Sheshet said to him: Come see that I know more than you do. The first troop passed, and when the noise grew louder, this heretic said to him: The king is coming. Rav Sheshet said to him: The king is not coming. The second troop passed, and when the noise grew louder, this heretic said to him: Now the king is coming. Rav Sheshet said to him: The king is not coming. The third troop passed, and when there was silence, Rav Sheshet said to him: Certainly now the king is coming.

אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא: מְנָא לָךְ הָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דְּמַלְכוּתָא דְאַרְעָא כְּעֵין מַלְכוּתָא דִרְקִיעָא, דִּכְתִיב: ״צֵא וְעָמַדְתָּ בָהָר לִפְנֵי ה׳ וְהִנֵּה ה׳ עֹבֵר וְרוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה וְחָזָק מְפָרֵק הָרִים וּמְשַׁבֵּר סְלָעִים לִפְנֵי ה׳ לֹא בָרוּחַ ה׳ וְאַחַר הָרוּחַ רַעַשׁ לֹא בָרַעַשׁ ה׳. וְאַחַר הָרַעַשׁ אֵשׁ לֹא בָאֵשׁ ה׳ וְאַחַר הָאֵשׁ קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה״.

This heretic said to him: How do you know this? Rav Sheshet said to him: Royalty on earth is like royalty in the heavens, as it is written with regard to God’s revelation to Elijah the Prophet on Mount Horeb: “And He said: Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave” (I Kings 19:11–13). God’s revelation was specifically at the moment of silence.

כִּי אֲתָא מַלְכָּא, פָּתַח רַב שֵׁשֶׁת וְקָא מְבָרֵךְ לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא: לְמַאן דְּלָא חָזֵית לֵיהּ קָא מְבָרְכַתְּ? וּמַאי הֲוִי עֲלֵיהּ דְּהָהוּא מִינָא? אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: חַבְרוֹהִי כַּחְלִינְהוּ לְעֵינֵיהּ, וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: רַב שֵׁשֶׁת נָתַן עֵינָיו בּוֹ, וְנַעֲשָׂה גַּל שֶׁל עֲצָמוֹת.

When the king came, Rav Sheshet began to bless him. The heretic mockingly said to him: Do you bless someone you do not see? The Gemara asks: And what ultimately happened to this heretic? Some say that his friends gouged out his eyes, and some say that Rav Sheshet fixed his gaze upon him, and the heretic became a pile of bones.

רַבִּי שֵׁילָא נַגְּדֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דִּבְעַל גּוֹיָה. אֲזַל אֲכַל בֵּיהּ קוּרְצֵי בֵּי מַלְכָּא, אֲמַר: אִיכָּא חַד גַּבְרָא בִּיהוּדָאֵי דְּקָא דָּיֵין דִּינָא בְּלָא הַרְמָנָא דְמַלְכָּא. שַׁדַּר עֲלֵיהּ פְּרִיסְתְּקָא. כִּי אֲתָא אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: מַאי טַעְמָא נַגֵּדְתֵּיהּ לְהַאי? אֲמַר לְהוּ: דְּבָא עַל חֲמָרְתָא. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אִית לְךָ סָהֲדִי? אֲמַר לְהוּ: אִין. אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ אִדְּמִי לֵיהּ כְּאִינִישׁ, וְאַסְהֵיד. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: אִי הָכִי, בַּר קְטָלָא הוּא! אֲמַר לְהוּ: אֲנַן מִיּוֹמָא דִּגְלֵינַן מֵאַרְעִין לֵית לַן רְשׁוּתָא לְמִקְטַל. אַתּוּן, מַאי דְּבָעֵיתוּן עֲבִידוּ בֵּיהּ.

As for the connection between divine and earthly royalty, the Gemara cites another story: Rabbi Sheila ordered that a man who had relations with a gentile woman be flogged. That man went to inform the king and said: There is one man among the Jews who renders judgment without the king’s authority [ harmana ]. The king sent a messenger [ peristaka ] for Rabbi Sheila to bring him to trial. When Rabbi Sheila came, they said to him: Why did you order flogging for this man? He said to them: Because he had relations with a female donkey. According to Persian law this was an extremely heinous crime, so they said to him: Do you have witnesses that he did so? He replied: Yes, and Elijah the prophet came and appeared as a person and testified. They said to Rabbi Sheila: If so, he is liable for the death penalty; why did you not sentence him to death? He replied: Since the day we were exiled from our land we do not have the authority to execute, but you, do with him as you wish.

עַד דִּמְעַיְּינִי בֵּיהּ בְּדִינָא, פְּתַח רַבִּי שֵׁילָא וַאֲמַר: ״לְךָ ה׳ הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְגוֹ׳״. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: מַאי קָאָמְרַתְּ? אֲמַר לְהוּ, הָכִי קָאָמֵינָא: ״בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּיָהֵיב מַלְכוּתָא בְּאַרְעָא כְּעֵין מַלְכוּתָא דִרְקִיעָא, וִיהַב לְכוּ שׁוּלְטָנָא וְרָחֲמִי דִּינָא״. אֲמַרוּ: חַבִּיבָא עֲלֵיהּ יְקָרָא דְמַלְכוּתָא כּוּלֵּי הַאי! יָהֲבִי לֵיהּ קוּלְפָא אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: דּוּן דִּינָא.

As they considered the sentence, Rabbi Sheila praised God for saving him from danger: “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, power, glory, triumph, and majesty; for all that is in heaven and on earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all” (I Chronicles 29:11). They asked him: What did you say? He told them: This is what I said: Blessed is the Merciful One who grants kingdom on earth that is a microcosm of the kingdom in heaven, and granted you dominion and love of justice. They said to him: Indeed, the honor of royalty is so dear to you. They gave him a staff to symbolize his license to sit in judgment and said to him: Judge.

כִּי הֲוָה נָפֵיק, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הַהוּא גַּבְרָא: עָבֵיד רַחֲמָנָא נִיסָּא לְשַׁקָּרֵי הָכִי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רָשָׁע, לָאו חֲמָרֵי אִיקְּרוּ? דִּכְתִיב: ״אֲשֶׁר בְּשַׂר חֲמוֹרִים בְּשָׂרָם״. חַזְיֵיהּ דְּקָאָזֵיל לְמֵימְרָא לְהוּ דִּקְרִינְהוּ חֲמָרֵי, אֲמַר: הַאי רוֹדֵף הוּא. וְהַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה: אִם בָּא לְהׇרְגְּךָ — הַשְׁכֵּם לְהׇרְגוֹ. מַחְיֵיהּ בְּקוּלְפָא וְקַטְלֵיהּ.

As he was leaving, that man said to Rabbi Sheila: Does God perform such miracles for liars? He replied: Scoundrel! Aren’t gentiles called donkeys? As it is written: “Whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys” (Ezekiel 23:20). Rabbi Sheila saw that he was going to tell the Persian authorities that he called them donkeys. He said: This man has the legal status of a pursuer. He seeks to have me killed. And the Torah said: If one comes to kill you, kill him first. He struck him with the staff and killed him.

אֲמַר: הוֹאִיל וְאִתְעֲבִיד לִי נִיסָּא בְּהַאי קְרָא, דָּרֵישְׁנָא לֵיהּ: ״לְךָ ה׳ הַגְּדֻלָּה״ — זוֹ מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״עֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת עַד אֵין חֵקֶר״. ״וְהַגְּבוּרָה״ — זוֹ יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדֹלָה וְגוֹ׳״. ״וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶת״ — זוֹ חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה שֶׁעָמְדוּ לוֹ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּדֹּם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְיָרֵחַ עָמָד וְגוֹ׳״. ״וְהַנֵּצַח״ — זוֹ מַפַּלְתָּהּ שֶׁל רוֹמִי. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״וְיֵז נִצְחָם עַל בְּגָדַי וְגוֹ׳״. ״וְהַהוֹד״ — זוֹ מִלְחֶמֶת נַחֲלֵי אַרְנוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַל כֵּן יֵאָמַר בְּסֵפֶר מִלְחֲמֹת ה׳ אֶת וָהֵב בְּסוּפָה וְגוֹ׳״. ״כִּי כֹל בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ״ — זוֹ מִלְחֶמֶת סִיסְרָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִן שָׁמַיִם נִלְחָמוּ הַכּוֹכָבִים מִמְּסִלּוֹתָם וְגוֹ׳״. ״לְךָ ה׳ הַמַּמְלָכָה״ — זוֹ מִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״כִּי יָד עַל כֵּס יָהּ״. ״וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂא״ — זוֹ מִלְחֶמֶת גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״הִנְנִי אֵלֶיךָ גּוֹג נְשִׂיא רֹאשׁ מֶשֶׁךְ וְתֻבָל״. ״לְכֹל לְרֹאשׁ״ — אָמַר רַב חָנָן בַּר רָבָא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֲפִילּוּ רֵישׁ גַּרְגִּיתָא מִן שְׁמַיָּא מַנּוּ לֵיהּ.

Rabbi Sheila said: Since a miracle was performed on my behalf with this verse that I cited, I will interpret it homiletically: Yours, O Lord, is the greatness; that is the act of creation, and so it says: “Who does great things past finding out” (Job 9:10); And the power; that is the exodus from Egypt, as it is stated: “And Israel saw the great work which the Lord did to the Egyptians” (Exodus 14:31); And the glory; that is the sun and the moon that stood still for Joshua, as it is stated: “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies” (Joshua 10:13); And the triumph; that is the downfall of Rome, and so it says describing the downfall of Edom, whom the Sages identified as the forefather of Rome: “Their lifeblood is dashed against My garments and I have stained all My raiment” (Isaiah 63:3); And the majesty; this is the war of the valleys of Arnon, as it is stated: “Wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the Lord: Vahev in Sufa, and the valleys of Arnon” (Numbers 21:14); For all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Yours; this is the war of Sisera, as it is stated: “They fought from heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera” (Judges 5:20). Yours is the kingdom, O Lord; this is the war of Amalek, and so it says: “And he said: The hand upon the throne of the Lord: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:16), as then God will sit on His throne. And you are exalted; this is the war of Gog and Magog, and so it says: “I am against you, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshekh and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:3); and: As head above all; Rav Ḥanan bar Rava said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: All leadership and authority, even the most insignificant, the one responsible for distributing water, is appointed by heaven.

בְּמַתְנִיתָא תַּנָּא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: ״לְךָ ה׳ הַגְּדֻלָּה״ — זוֹ קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף. ״וְהַגְּבוּרָה״ — זוֹ מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת. ״וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶת״ — זוֹ מַתַּן תּוֹרָה. ״וְהַנֵּצַח״ — זוֹ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. ״וְהַהוֹד״ — זוֹ בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ.

It was taught in a baraita in the name of Rabbi Akiva: Yours, O Lord, is the greatness; this is the splitting of the Red Sea; the power; this is the plague of the firstborn; the glory; this is the giving of the Torah; the triumph; this is Jerusalem; and the majesty; this is the Temple.