Menachot 53- Rabbi Preida Consoles Rabbi Ezra

The students said to Rabbi Preida, “Rabbi Ezra, who is a tenth generation from Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah, who was in turn a tenth-generation descendant of Ezra the Scribe, is standing at the door.” Rabbi Preida said, “Why do I need his genealogy? If he is a scholar who achieved his knowledge by himself – great! And if he was assisted by the merit of his fathers – also great! Let him come in.”

Rabbi Ezra came in depressed, probably because of the response of Rabbi Preida, who then began to console him with homilies and asked a question. What does it mean when David says to God, “You are my Master, my gratitude is not to You” ? - It is a condensed dialog. The Congregation of Israel said to God, “Master of the Universe! Show me the gratitude that I have made Your name known in the world.” God replied, “My gratitude is not to you. I show gratitude only to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were the first to make Me know, but you relied on promises and miracles. They are the mighty ones!”

When Rabbi Ezra heard the word “mighty,” he started his own homily and asked, what does it mean, “let the mighty come and exact retribution on behalf of the mighty from the mighty in the mighty?” - Let the Holy One, Blessed is He, exact retribution on behalf of the Children of Israel from Egyptians in the mighty waters.

When the Temple was destroyed, God found Abraham standing there and asked “What is my beloved doing in my Temple?” Abraham said, “I have come concerning my children.” God said, “You children sinned and were therefore exiled.” Abraham said “Perhaps they  sinned inadvertently?” God answered, “She carries out her deliberate schemes.” Abraham said, “Perhaps only a minority of them sinned.” God said, “The majority.” Abraham said “You should have remembered the covenant of circumcision.” God replied, “They violated it and rejoiced.” Abraham put his hands on his head and wept, “Maybe, Heaven forbid, there is no remedy for them?” The Heavenly voice responded to him, “Just as an olive tree, its destiny is fulfilled at its end, so the Children of Israel, their destiny is fulfilled at their end.”

Art: Odilon Redon - Melancholy