"For a slave when he becomes king"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda begins the discussion by interpreting the "For a slave when he becomes king," explaining that it refers to Egypt, whom God despises more than any other nation, and Ishmael, who torments and persecutes Yisrael for their Faith. Following this, we learn of an incident involving Rabbi Yehoshua, who saw a meeting between a Jew and an Arab with his son. The Arab told his son to insult the Jew and spit in his face; however when the boy grabbed the Jew's beard, Rabbi Yehoshua prayed to the Patriarchs and the earth opened up and swallowed the Arabs.

Relevance

Everyone has two aspects within their nature - selfish desire, also known as the Evil Inclination; and a will to share, or the Good Inclination. The soul's desire to impart is known by the code word "Yisrael." Our selfish impulses are termed "Egypt" or "Ishmael."

When we, as individuals, allow our egocentric urges to dominate our life, we end up treating others with unkindness, intolerance, and cruelty. The negative energy this creates arouses the dark side in our Arab brothers, which, in turn, leads to hatred toward the Children of Yisrael. Moreover, these negative traits disconnect us from the Light that permeates the Upper World. When we resist our selfish impulses, we connect to Light and illuminate all existence. This Light nourishes our Arab brothers and arouses love for Yisrael. This, and only this, ends the conflict and uproots the hatred that has long existed between Muslims and Jews.

Our gentle reading of these verses swallows up all our evil tendencies and impulses. We arouse Light and Love within all Arabs as the Light banishes these negative qualities from our core being. Each word we read generates harmony, tolerance, and true love among all the souls of humanity and between our own body and our soul.

Earth Egyptians Evil Exile Hagar Ishmael Slavery

289. Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion saying: "For three things the earth is disquieted...for a slave when he becomes king" (Mishlei 30:21). We learned that there is no nation as lowly, despised and degraded before the Holy One, blessed be He, as the Egyptians. And the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them dominion because of Yisrael. "And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress" (Ibid.) is Hagar, who bore Ishmael who has done much evil to Yisrael, dominated them and oppressed them with all kinds of oppressions, and decreed against them many devastations. They dominate Yisrael to this day, and do not permit them to observe their religion. There has been no exile as hard on Yisrael as the exile of Ishmael.

289. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, תַּחַת שָׁלֹשׁ רָגְזָה אֶרֶץ וְגוֹ,' תַּחַת עֶבֶד כִּי יִמְלוֹךְ, דְּתַנְיָא לֵית לָךְ אוּמָא מְכִּיכָא וּקְלִילָא וְנִבְזֵית קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּוָותַיְיהוּ דְּמִצְרָאֵי, וְיָהִיב לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא בְּגִינַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְשִׁפְחָה כִּי תִירַשׁ גְּבִירְתָּהּ, דָּא הָגָר, דְּאוֹלִידַת לְיִשְׁמָעֵאל, שֶׁעָשָׂה כַּמָּה רָעוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְשָׁלַט בָּהֶם, וְעִינָּה אוֹתָם בְּכָל מִינֵי עִנּוּיִין, וְגָזַר עֲלֵיהֶם כַּמָּה שְׁמָדוֹת, וְעַד הַיּוֹם הֵם שׁוֹלְטִים עֲלֵיהֶם, וְאֵינָם מַנִּיחִים לָהֶם לַעֲמוֹד בְּדָתָם. וְאֵין לָךְ גָּלוּת קָשָׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמוֹ גָּלוּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל.

Abraham Arab Beard Ground Isaac Jacob Jerusalem Merit Patriarchs Seven Seventy

290. Rabbi Yehoshua was going up to Jerusalem and, as he was traveling, he saw an Arab walking with his son. They met a Jew. THE ARAB said to his son, This is a loathsome Jew who is despised by his Master. Soil him and spit into his beard seven times, for he is of the seed of high ones - MEANING FROM ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB, yet I know that seventy nations are subjugating them! His son went and grasped the beard OF THE JEW. Rabbi Yehoshua said, Lofty one, lofty ones, MEANING THAT HE PRAYED IN THE MERIT OF THE PATRIARCHS, I decree on the high ones, MEANING ON THE ARAB AND HIS SON WHO CONSIDERED THEMSELVES HIGHER THAN THE YISRAEL, that they should descend down under. Before Rabbi Yehoshua finished his words, they were swallowed up BY THE GROUND where they stood.

290. ר' יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הֲוָה סְלִיק לִירוּשְׁלֵם, וַהֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאוֹרְחָא, חָמָא חַד עַרְבָּאָה, דַּהֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאוֹרְחָא, וּבְרֵיהּ עִמֵּיהּ. פָּגְעוּ בְּיוּדָאי חַד. אָמַר לִבְרֵיהּ, הַאי יוּדָאי גָּעֲלָא, דְּמָאִיס בֵּיהּ מָרֵיהּ. נְווֹל לֵיהּ, וְרָקִיק לֵיהּ בְּדִיקֵנֵיהּ ז' זִמְנִין, דְּאִיהוּ מִזַּרְעָא דְּרָאמִין, דַּאֲנָא יָדַעְנָא דִּמְשַׁעְבְּדָן בְּהוּ שַׁבְעִין עֲמָמִין, אָזִיל בְּרֵיהּ וְאַחִיד בְּדִיקְנֵיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ רָאמִין רָאמִין, גּוֹזַרְנָא עַל עִלָּאִין, דְּיֶחְתוּן לְתַתָּא. עַד לָא סִיֵּים אִתְבְּלָעוּ בְּאַתְרֵיהוֹן.