74. "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a striped coat" (Beresheet 37:3). Rabbi Elazar began the discussion with the verse, "Come, My people, enter you into your chambers, and shut your doors about you: hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast" (Yeshayah 26:20). Come and behold, how much did the Holy One, blessed be He, love Yisrael? He had more love for them than for all the other heathen nations. Thus, He warned them and guarded them in their actions.
75. Come and behold, Judgment hovers about the world three times a day. During these times, it behooves a man to take heed and be watchful lest Judgment shall fall on him. This is so at specific times, as has already been explained.
76. The three times are when morning comes and Abraham is awakened into the world, where he holds on to Judgment, so that he is attached to it. Within the first three hours, Judgment is driven from its place to be awakened within Jacob, until the time is come for Minchah. Then, the lower Judgment is stirred to be attached to the upper Judgment. Then one Judgment joins another, and it behooves us to be on our guard.
77. Moreover, when Judgment is upon the world and death is in the marketplace, no man should walk alone in a public place, as has been explained elsewhere. Man should shut himself in and never venture out, as Noah did when he shut himself in the ark to avoid being found in the presence of the Angel of Destruction.
78. Therefore, "Come, My people, enter you into your chambers ..." (Yeshayah 26:20) MEANS shut yourself inside YOUR HOUSE, "and shut your doors about you," so as not to be seen by the Destroying Angel. "Hide yourself for a little moment, until the anger be overpast," because after the Judgment has passed, the Angel of Destruction has no permission to harm you.
79. Come and behold, it is the affection that the Holy One, blessed be He, harbors for Yisrael and His drawing them near Him THAT CAUSES the other heathen nations to hate Yisrael. For they are kept away from the Holy One, blessed be He, while Yisrael is near.
80. Come and behold, as a result of the exceptional love Jacob had for Joseph, his brothers "conspired against him to slay him" (Beresheet 37:18). How much more do the idolatrous nations HATE Yisrael BECAUSE OF THE LOVE THAT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, HAS FOR YISRAEL ABOVE THEM!
81. Come and behold what this love, which Jacob had for Joseph OVER HIS BROTHERS, caused. JOSEPH was exiled from his father, who then joined him. By this action, he brought exile upon the tribes and the Shechinah. Although it was decreed IN THE COVENANT BETWEEN THE PIECES, THE REASON FOR THIS, NEVERTHELESS, WAS THAT HE LOVED HIM BETTER THAN HIS BROTHERS. It has been explained that all this happened because of the many-colored coat he made him, as it is written, "And when his brethren saw ...THEY HATED HIM, AND COULD NOT SPEAK PEACEABLY TO HIM" (Beresheet 37:4).