Sifra
Bechukotai, Chapter 7
Bechukotai, Chapter 7
1) "and your land will be desolate, and your cities will be waste": These are bad tidings for Israel. For if a man is exiled from his vineyard and from his house and (he knows that) he is destined to return, it is as if his vineyard and his house are not laid waste. But it shall not be so with you, for "your land will be desolate and your cities will be waste" — because you are not destined to return.
2) (Vayikra 26:34) "Then shall the land requite its Sabbaths": I told you to sow six (years) and to leave one unsown for Me, so that you should know that the land is Mine. But you did not do so — Arise and be exiled from it, and it will lie waste of itself, all the shemitah years that it owes Me. As it is written: "Then shall the land requite its Sabbaths. All the days of its (unrequited) Sabbaths … shall it rest."
3) (Vayikra 26:36) "And those who are left of you, I shall bring terror into their hearts": It is not written "I shall bring terror into them," but I shall bring terror into their hearts." And which is that? Awe, fright, worry, trembling, and fear.
4) (Vayikra 26:37) "and they will be chased by the sound of a driven leaf": R. Yehoshua ben Karchah said: Once we were sitting between the trees and the wind started blowing and dashed the leaves against each other — whereupon we arose and ran, saying (to ourselves): "Woe unto us if we are overtaken by the horsemen!" After some time we turned around and found no one there — whereupon we sat down and cried, saying "Woe unto us, upon whom has been fulfilled the verse "and they will be chased by the sound of a driven leaf, and they will flee as one flees the sword" — from fright — "and they will fall though none pursue" — from powerlessness.
5) (Vayikra 26:37) "And they will stumble, one man by his brother": It is not written "one man because of his brother" (i.e., in running), but "one man by his brother," the sin of his brother — whereby we are taught that all of Israel are responsible, one for the other.
6) "and you will not arise before your foes": This is the hour of the taking of Jerusalem.