Up until Hezekiah, there was no sick person, who was cured

Synopsis

We learn here that, after Jacob died, everyone who became ill also died, until Hezekiah. When he became ill he prayed to God, saying that if people were healed from illness, they would thank God and return to their lives with repentance. God took his point, and granted his request, beginning with Hezekiah. At this time also the sun turned back ten degrees, we learn, and time turned back five full hours, so the Elohim of Hezekiah performed two miracles on one day. God swore to Hezekiah that three kings would descend from him, we are then told. The first of these kings was Nebuchadnezzar, who made an idol and caused everyone to worship it. From the temple he took a vessel that was engraved with the letters of the Holy Name and placed it in the mouth of the idol, which then spoke great things. Daniel came and commanded the idol, saying, 'I am the messenger of the supernal Master. I decree upon you to leave here.' Then the vessel came out of the idol's mouth and the idol fell to the ground and broke. Rabbi Huna then concludes by saying that all this is the meaning of, "And I will take out of his mouth that which he has swallowed up; and the nations shall not flow together any more to him."

Relevance

The Light of healing shines brightly here, brighter still, when we fill our hearts with contriteness and make a conscious effort to share this radiance with others in need of healing. Doing so achieves eternal well-being for the body and soul of man.

Eyes Face Grades Hezekiah Judah Repentance Sun Ten Walls

899. After he died, there was no person IN THE WORLD who became ill and did not die from that illness until Hezekiah came. What is written about him? "In those days Hezekiah fell mortally sick... " (Yeshayah 38:1). Come and see what is written, "Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to Hashem" (Ibid. 2). He said TO THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, Does it please You that people should be healed from their illness, and they should thank Your Name and recognize, and return later on in complete repentance. The inhabitants of the world will be meritorious in Your eyes. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'It pleases Me, and you will be a sign to the world,' THAT IT WILL START WITH YOU. So it was, what never was before. This is what is meant by, "The writing of Hezekiah King of Judah when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness" (Ibid. 9). We learned that the sun turned BACKWARD ten degrees.

899. בָּתַר דְּשָׁכִיב, לָא הֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ דַּהֲוָה לֵיהּ מַרְעִין, דְּלָא מִית. עַד דְּאָתָא חִזְקִיָּה, מָה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ, בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם חָלָה חִזְקִיָּהוּ לָמוּת וְגוֹ.' תָּא חֲזִי, מָה כְּתִיב וַיַסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל יְיָ,' אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִי נִיחָא קָמָךְ דְּיִתְּסוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא מִבֵּי מַרְעֵיהוֹן, וְיוֹדוּן שְׁמָךְ, וְיִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּן, וִיתוּבוּן לְבָתַר בְּתִיּוּבְתָא שְׁלֵימָתָא, וְיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן בְּנֵי עָלְמָא זַכָּאִין קֳדָמָךְ. אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יֵאוֹת הוּא אַתּ תְּהֵא סִימָנָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְכַךְ הוּא, מַאי דְּלָא הֲוָה מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, מִכְתָּב לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה בַּחֲלוֹתוֹ וַיְחִי מֵחָלְיוֹ. וְתָאנָא, הַהוּא יוֹמָא אִתְחָזַר שִׁמְשָׁא עֶשֶׂר דַּרְגִּין.

Hezekiah Miracle Sun Thought

900. We also learned that Merodach Baladan used to always eat daily at the fourth hour OF THE DAY, and also that he slept until the ninth hour OF THE DAY. That day TOO, he slept until the ninth hour. When he awoke, he saw that the sun stood at the fourth hour OF THE DAY. He said, What is this. Is this a plot to starve me with hunger? They said to him, Why? He said, For I have slept one and a third days, BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS THE FOURTH HOUR OF THE NEXT DAY AND THAT HE HAD SLEPT ONE FULL DAY FROM FOUR HOURS AND A THIRD OF THE SECOND DAY, BECAUSE IT WAS ALREADY AT THE FOURTH HOUR OF THE SECOND DAY. They said to him that it was not so, but that the Elohim of Hezekiah performed two miracles on that day. One is that He cured Hezekiah of his illness and the second is that He returned the sun to this hour. He said, Is there a great Elohim in this world except for my Elohim? And they said, The Elohim of Hezekiah.

900. וְתָאנָא, מְרוֹדָךְ בַּלְאֲדָן הֲוָה אָכִיל כָּל יוֹמָא בְּד' שַׁעְתֵּי, וְנָאִים עַד תֵּשַׁע שַׁעְתֵּי, וְהַהוּא יוֹמָא נָאִים עַד ט' שַׁעְתֵּי, כַּד אִתְּעַר חָמָא שִׁמְשָׁא דְּקָאֵים בְּד' שַׁעְתֵּי, אָמַר מַאי הַאי, בְּקִטּוּלָא דְּקוּנְטִירָא קוֹנְטְרוֹי אַנְקָטַּרְתּוּן. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ לָמָּה. אָמַר, דְּנָאִימְנָא יוֹמָא חַד, וּתְלָתוּת יוֹמָא. א"ל, לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא אֱלָהָא דְּחִזְקִיָה עֲבַד יוֹמָא דֵּין תְּרֵין נִיסִּין. אָסֵי לְחִזְקִיָה מִבֵּי מַרְעֵיהּ, וְאַחְזָר שִׁמְשָׁא לְעִדָּנָא דָּא. אָמַר וְכִי אִית בְּעָלְמָא אֱלָהָא רַבָּא בַּר מֵאֱלָהִי. אָמְרוּ, אֱלָהָא דְּחִזְּקִיָהוּ.

Hezekiah Jerusalem Judah Nebuchadnezzar Peace Throne

901. He arose and wrote his letter, 'Peace to Hezekiah, the King of Judah, and peace to his Elohim and peace to Jerusalem, the Holy City. 'Afterwards, he changed his mind, arose from his throne, took three steps and wrote another letter, 'Peace to the Great Elohim in Jerusalem and peace to Hezekiah, the King of Judah, and peace to Jerusalem, the Holy City. 'The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'You took three steps in My honor. I swear that three kings will descend from you, rulers and princes who will rule over the whole world.' And the first of them was Nebuchadnezzar.

901. קָם וְכָתַב כְּתָבוֹי, שְׁלָם לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ מַלְכָּא דִּיהוּדָה וּשְׁלָם לְאֱלָהֵיהּ וּשְׁלָם לִירוּשְׁלֵם קַרְתָּא קַדִּישָׁא. לְבָתַר אַמְלִיךְ וְקָם מִכֻּרְסְיָה, וּפָסַע תְּלַת פְּסִיעָן, וְכָתַב אַחֲרָנִין, שְׁלָם לֶאֱלָהָא רַבָּא דְּבִירוּשְׁלֵם וּשְׁלָם לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ מַלְכָּא דִּיהוּדָה וּשְׁלָם לִירוּשְׁלֵם קַרְתָּא קַדִּישָׁא. א"ל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַנְתְּ פָּסַעְתְּ בְּגִין יְקָרִי תְּלַת פְּסִיעָן, חַיֶּיךָ מִינָךְ יִפְקוּן תְּלַת מַלְכִּין שַׁלִּיטִין, קַסְטִירִין רוּפִינִין דְּשָׁלִיטִין בְּכָל עָלְמָא, וְקַדְמָאָה מִנַּיְיהוּ נְבוּכַדְנֶצַר הֲוָה.

Brass Crowns Daniel Dreams Gold Head Idolatry Nebuchadnezzar Silver

902. Come and see what Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar, "You are this head of gold. And after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to you, and another third kingdom of brass... " (Daniel 2:38-39). What is written? "Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits, and the breadth of which was six cubits" (Daniel 3:1). Nebuchadnezzar said, 'The idol that I saw IN THE DREAM had a head of gold and his innards were silver. I shall make it entirely of gold and there shall be a golden crown on its head.'

902. ת"ח, מַאי א"ל דָּנִיאֵל, אַנְּתּ הוּא רֵאשָׁה דִּי דַּהֲבָא. וּבַתְרָךְ תְּקוּם מַלְכוּ אָחֳרִי אֲרַע מִינָךְ וּמַלְכוּ תְּלִיתָאָה אָחֳרִי וְגוֹ.' מַה כְּתִיב נְבוּכַדְנֶצַר מַלְכָּא עֲבַד צְלֵם דִּי דְהַב רוּמֵיהּ אַמִּין שִׁתִּין פְּתָיֵהּ אַמִּין שִׁית. אֲמַר נְבוּכַדְנֶצַר צֻלְמָא דַּחֲמֵינָא, הֲוָה רֵישָׁא דִּי דַּהֲבָא, מֵעוֹי דְּכֶסֶף, אֲנָא אַעֲבִיד כֹּלָּא דְּדַהֲבָא, דְּלִהֱוֵי קַּזְפִּירָא דְּדַהֲבָא בְּרֵישָׁא.

Daniel Flow Head Holy Name (Holy) Temple Idolatry Jeremiah Vessels

903. We learned that he gathered all the nations and peoples and tongues on that day to worship that idol. And he took a vessel of the vessels of the Temple upon which was engraved the Holy Name, and placed it in the mouth of that idol. At that moment, the idol spoke great things until Daniel came and approached that idol, saying, 'I am the messenger of the supernal Master. I decree upon you to leave here.' When he mentioned the Holy Name, that vessel came out of the idol's mouth, and the idol fell and broke. This is the meaning of that which is written, "And I will take out of his mouth which he has swallowed up; and the nations shall not flow together any more to him" (Yirmeyah 51:44). Rabbi Yehuda got up and kissed RAV HUNA on his head. He said, If I had not brought you close to the friends here, we would not recognize you. From that day onwards, they were in awe of him.

903. וְתָאנָא, הַהוּא יוֹמָא כָּנַשׁ כָּל אוּמַיָּא וַעֲמַמְיָא וְלִישָׁנַיָיא לְמִפְלַח לְהַהוּא צַלְמָא, וְנָטַל מָאנָא מִמָּאנֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא, דַּהֲוָה גָּלִיף בֵּיהּ שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְעָיֵיל לֵיהּ בְּפוּמֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא צַלְמָא וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, הֲוָה מְמַלֵּל רַבְרְבָן, עַד דְּאָתָא דָּנִיאֵל, וְקָרִיב גַּבֵּי דְּהַהוּא צַלְמָא, וְאָמַר אֲנָא שְׁלִיחָא דְּמָארָא עִלָּאָה, גּוֹזְרָנִי עָלָךְ לְמֵפַק מֵהָכָא. אִדְכַּר שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְנָפַק הַהוּא מָאנָא, וְנָפַל צַלְמָא וְאִתְבַּר. הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶת בִּלְעוֹ מִפִּיו וְלֹא יִנְהֲרוּ אֵלָיו עוֹד גּוֹיִם. קָם ר' יְהוּדָה וּנַשְׁקֵיהּ עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ, אָמַר אִי לָא דְּקָרִיבְנָא בְּקּוּטְפַיָיא הָכָא, לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַעְנָא בָּךְ. וַהֲווֹ דַּחֲלִין קַמֵּיהּ מֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא.