Sanhedrin

They were greater than he [in one respect], and he was superior to them [in another]. [Thus:] They were greater than he, since they were prophets, whilst he was not. He [on the other hand] was superior to them, since he saw [the vision] which they did not. But since they did not see it, why were they terrified? — Though they themselves saw nothing, their guardian angel did see it.  Rabina said: This proves that when one is terrified [and knows not why], though he has not seen anything, his guardian angel has.  What shall he do [to dissipate his fears]? — Let him leap four cubits from his place; alternatively, let him read the shema'.  But if he is standing in an unclean place [where the shema' may not be recited], let him say thus: 'the butcher's goat is fatter than I.' Of the increase  of his government and peace there shall be no end.  R. Tanhum said: Bar Kappara expounded in Sepphoris, Why is every mem in the middle of a word open, whilst this is closed?  — The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to appoint Hezekiah as the Messiah, and Sennacherib as Gog and Magog;  whereupon the Attribute of Justice  said before the Holy One, blessed be He: 'Sovereign of the Universe! If Thou didst not make David the Messiah, who uttered so many hymns and psalms before Thee, wilt Thou appoint Hezekiah as such, who did not hymn Thee in spite of all these miracles which Thou wroughtest for him?' Therefore it [sc. the mem] was closed.  Straightway the earth exclaimed: 'Sovereign of the Universe! Let me utter song before Thee instead of this righteous man [Hezekiah], and make him the Messiah.' So it broke into song before Him, as it is written, From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous.  Then the Prince of the Universe  said to Him: 'Sovereign of the Universe! It [the earth] hath fulfilled Thy desire [for songs of praise] on behalf of this righteous man.'  But a heavenly Voice cried out, 'It is my secret, it is my secret.'  To which the prophet rejoined, 'Woe is me, woe is me:  how long [must we wait]?' The heavenly Voice [again] cried out, 'The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously:  which Raba — others say, R. Isaac — interpreted: until there come spoilers, and spoilers of the spoilers. The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?  R. Johanan said: The angel in charge of the souls is named Dumah. All the souls assembled before Dumah and said to him, What [sayeth] the Watchman [sc. God] of the night, What [sayeth] the Watchman of the night?  The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come. A Tanna reported in the name of R. Pappias: It was a reproach to Hezekiah and his company  that they uttered no song [to God] until the earth broke into song, as it is written, From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. Similarly we read, And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord who hath delivered you;  whereon a Tanna taught in the name of R. Pappias: It was a reproach to Moses and the six hundred thousand [Israelites] that they did not bless [the Lord] until Jethro came and did so. And Jethro rejoiced [wa-yihad].  Rab and Samuel [dispute its meaning]. Rab said: He caused a sharp knife to pass over his flesh;  Samuel said: His flesh crept [with horror at the destruction of the Egyptians].  Rab  observed: Thus people say, Before a proselyte, even unto the tenth generation, insult not an Aramean. Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness.  What is meant by, among his fat ones [bemishmanav]  leanness? — The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Let Hezekiah, who hath eight [shemoneh] names, come and mete out punishment to Sennacherib, who hath [likewise] eight.  Hezekiah, as it is written, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called [i] Wonderful, [ii] Counsellor, [iii] Mighty, [iv] Judge,  [v] Everlasting, [vi] Father, [vii] Prince, and [viii] Peace.  But is there not Hezekiah too?  — That means, 'whom God hath strengthened;' alternatively, Hezekiah denotes 'Who strengthened' Israel [in their devotion] to their father in Heaven.  Sennacherib, of whom it is written, [i] Tiglath-pileser,  [ii] [Tilgath-] pilneser,  [iii] Shalmaneser,  [iv] Pul,  [V] Sargon,  [vi] Asnapper,  [vii] Rabba,  and [viii] Yakkira.  But is there not Sennacherib too? — [That means,] that his very conversation was strife; alternatively, that he prated with inflammatory speech against the Most High. R. Johanan said: Why did that evil man merit the titles of the great and noble Asnapper? — Because he did not speak slightingly of the Land of Israel, as it is written, Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land.  Rab and Samuel [dispute the matter]: one maintained that he was a wise king; the other that he was foolish. The view that he was a wise king is because had he said, 'a land that is better than your own,' they would have replied, 'Thou liest;' whilst the opinion that he was foolish is because if so [i.e., that the land of exile would be no better than their own], what inducement [did he offer]? Whither did he deport them? — Mar Zutra said: To Africa;  R. Hanina maintained: To the mountains of Salug. But Israel spoke with contempt about Palestine, for when they came to Shush,  they said: This is as good as our land;  to 'Almin,  they said: This is like the House of Eternities [i.e., Jerusalem, or the Temple];  on arriving at Shush Tere,  they said: This is twice as good [as our land]. And beneath his glory shall he kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.  R. Johanan said: That which was beneath his glory [would be burnt], but 'glory' is not literal;  even as R. Johanan called his garments 'my honourers.' R. Eleazar said: 'Beneath his glory' is literal, as the burning of the sons of Aaron: just as there the burning of the soul [is meant], the body remaining intact, so here too. A Tanna taught in the name of R. Joshua b. Karha: Pharaoh, who personally blasphemed, was punished by the Holy One, blessed be He, in Person; Sennacherib, who blasphemed