Sanhedrin (92b) Rabbi Yitzḥak says: Molten gold should be poured into the mouth of that wicked person Nebuchadnezzar . The reason is that if an angel had not come and struck him on his mouth to prevent him from continuing his praise, he would have sought to overshadow all the songs and praises that David recited in the book of Psalms.
Rashi (Saqnhedrin 932b)לגנות - שהיה מסדר שבחות נאות יותר מדוד ואילו אמרן הקב"ה היה נוטה אחריהן יותר מאחרי השירות שעשה דוד:
He would have composed praises that were nicer than that of Dovid. If he said them than G-d would be inclined to favor them more than the songs of Dovid.
I never understood the level of hate Nebuchadnezzar got.
ReplyDeleteDid he conquer Judah? Sure, but he was just replacing the Assyrians who had done it first.
Did he destroy Jerusalem? Yes, but only after Tzidkiyahu betrayed him.
And all his personal interactions with Daniel show that, while he worshipped idols (hint: everyone did) he still had great respect for God. And the Gemara confirms that with more anecdotes about his respect for God.
The bottom line: our ancestors were warned they would be punished if they didn't stop sinning, they didn't stop sinning, they were punished. Since when does the errant child have the right to get mad at the strap across his backside?
Because overdoing the punishment gets the strap punished. Any cheder child knows this. Yiu would think a Canadian nurse would too.
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