Megillah 17b (יז:) — the Talmud in English

that

The Sages taught: From where is it derived that one recites

the blessing of the

Patriarchs

in the prayer?

As it is stated: “Ascribe to the Lord, sons of the mighty.”

That is, mention before the Lord the mighty ones of the land, who are the Patriarchs.

And from where is it derived that one recites

a blessing whose subject is

the might

of the Lord [“You are mighty, etc.”]?

As it is stated

in the continuation of that verse:

“Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.”

And from where is it derived that one recites

a blessing whose subject is

the sanctity

of the Lord [“You are holy, etc.”]?

As it is stated

at the end of the preceding chapter:

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bow down to the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”

And what

reason

did they see to say

the blessing of

understanding [“You graciously grant knowledge to man, etc.”]—

[“You graciously grant knowledge to man, etc.”]

after the blessing of holiness?

As it is stated: “And they shall sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall revere the God of Israel,” and juxtaposed to it is: “And those who err in spirit shall know understanding.”

And what did they see to say the blessing of repentance [“Return us, our Father, etc.”]

[“Bring us back, our Father, etc.”]

after

the blessing of

understanding?

As it is written: “And his heart shall understand, and he shall repent and be healed.”

That is, through his heart understanding, he will repent of his wickedness, and he will be healed [a healing of the soul]. We see that repentance is written after understanding.

And we challenge this:

If so,

if the reason is that repentance is written after understanding,

let healing

be after repentance,

as it is written in the verse: “And he shall repent,” and after that, “and he shall be healed”! And why do we say that forgiveness comes after repentance?

And we answer:

This cannot enter your mind,

to say that healing comes after repentance.

As it is written: “And he shall return to the Lord, and He shall have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly forgive.”

For this reason we say that forgiveness comes after repentance.

And we challenge this:

What did you see that you relied on this

verse, “And he shall return to the Lord,” to establish that forgiveness follows repentance;

rely on that

first verse, “and he shall be healed,” to establish that healing follows repentance?

And we answer:

Another verse is written: “Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your illnesses, Who redeems your life from the grave,”

and for this reason we say that healing comes after forgiveness.

It follows from this verse that both healing and redemption come after forgiveness.

And we challenge this:

Does this mean that redemption and healing,

both of them,

come after forgiveness? Yet it is written: “And his

heart shall understand

and he shall repent and be healed,”

so we see that healing comes after understanding?!

And we explain:

That

“and he shall repent and be healed”

does not refer to healing from illnesses; rather, it refers to healing through forgiveness,

that is, his sins are forgiven him in Heaven, and his soul is healed of its transgressions. But the blessing “Heal us” refers to bodily healing; therefore they arranged it after forgiveness, in accordance with the order of the verse: “Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your illnesses, etc.”

And what

reason

did they see to say redemption [“Redeemer of Israel”]

[“Redeemer of Israel”]

in

the

seventh blessing,

after forgiveness, and not say the blessing of healing after forgiveness, as it is written: “Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your illnesses”?

Rava said: Since they are destined to be redeemed in the seventh year,

for the Sabbatical cycle in which Mashiah ben David will come differs from the other years: the first year, famine but not famine, etc., as we say in the chapter Ḥelek [Sanhedrin 97a], and in the seventh year of the Sabbatical cycle there will be wars, and at the conclusion of the seventh year Mashiah ben David will come,

therefore they established it

the blessing of redemption

in

the

seventh blessing.

And we challenge this:

But didn’t the Master say: In

the

sixth

year—

voices, that is, a report will spread that Mashiah ben David is coming;

in the seventh—

wars; at the conclusion of the seventh year—

the son of David will come,

so if that is the case, redemption occurs only at the conclusion of the seventh year?!

And we answer:

War, too,

is the beginning of redemption.

For it is redemption from the troubles that constantly befall us.

And what did they see to say healing in

the

eighth blessing?

It would have been appropriate for redemption to be said in the eighth blessing, and not in the seventh! For it begins only in the seventh, since Mashiah ben David comes only at the conclusion of the seventh year; therefore they should have established redemption in the eighth blessing, since the principal redemption is in the eighth year. And they should have established the blessing of healing in the seventh, after forgiveness, as the verse states: “Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals, etc.”

Rabbi Aḥa said:

This is the reason:

Since circumcision was ordained for the eighth day

on the eighth day,

which requires

healing,

therefore they established it

the blessing of healing

in

the

eighth blessing .

And what did they see to say the blessing of the years in

the

ninth blessing?

Rabbi Alexandri said:

This blessing

was said in opposition to those who drive up prices,

as

it is written: “Break the arm of the wicked.”

And this verse speaks of those who drive up prices, as it is written in that passage: “He lies in wait in secret places, like a lion in his den; he lies in wait to seize the poor.” But would a robber lie in wait for a poor person?

Rather, the verse speaks of those who drive up prices, whose principal concern is for the poor. And David petitioned for mercy, saying: “Break the arm of the wicked,” by granting abundance in the world.

And when David said it,

he said it in

the

ninth section .

And what did they see to say the ingathering of the exiles after the blessing of the years?

As it is written: “And you, mountains of Israel, shall give forth your branches

and yield your fruit for My people Israel, for they are soon to come.”

We see that the ingathering of the exiles occurs at the time of the blessing of the years; for this reason we say it after the blessing of the years.

And once the exiles have been gathered—

judgment is executed upon the wicked, as it is stated: “And I will turn My hand upon you, and I will purge away your dross as with lye,” and it is written

that through this:

“And I will restore your judges as at first,”

and afterward: “Zion shall be redeemed through justice, and those who return to her through righteousness.” For this reason we say “Restore our judges” after the ingathering of the exiles.

And once judgment has been executed upon the wicked—

the sinners are eradicated

the deniers,

and the intentional sinners are included

those who act deliberately,

with them. As it is stated: “And He shall break the sinners and the transgressors together.”

For this reason we say this blessing after the judgment of the wicked in the blessing “Restore our judges.”

And once the sinners have been eradicated—

automatically,

the power of the righteous is exalted. As it is written: “And all the horns of the wicked I shall cut off—

the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”

And righteous converts are included

in the blessing

together with the righteous, as it is stated: “You shall rise before the aged and show deference to the old,” and juxtaposed to it is: “And when a convert dwells among you.”

For this reason we say here the blessing “Upon the righteous.”

And where is their power exalted

of the righteous?

In Jerusalem. As it is stated: “Ask the welfare of Jerusalem; may those who love you prosper.”

For this reason we say here the blessing “And to Jerusalem, Your city.”

And once Jerusalem has been rebuilt—

David came. As it is stated: