Avoda Zora 3a § 2
First Afraid then Calm
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Passage Content
Like what Chizkiya says with regard to a different matter:
You caused sentence to be heard from
heaven, the earth feared, and was silent
If the earth feared, why was it silent, and if it was silent, why did it fear?
One who is afraid does not stay silent, and one who remains silent thereby
demonstrates that he is not afraid.
Rather, this is the meaning of the verse:
At first, when God came to give the Torah to the Jewish people,
the earth feared that they might not accept it, and it would be destroyed.
This is alluded to by the phrase:
You caused sentence to be heard
But ultimately, when the Jews accepted the Torah, the earth was silent.
Consequently, heaven and earth are interested parties
and cannot testify about the Jewish people’s commitment to the Torah.
You caused sentence to be heard from
heaven, the earth feared, and was silent
If the earth feared, why was it silent, and if it was silent, why did it fear?
One who is afraid does not stay silent, and one who remains silent thereby
demonstrates that he is not afraid.
Rather, this is the meaning of the verse:
At first, when God came to give the Torah to the Jewish people,
the earth feared that they might not accept it, and it would be destroyed.
This is alluded to by the phrase:
You caused sentence to be heard
But ultimately, when the Jews accepted the Torah, the earth was silent.
Consequently, heaven and earth are interested parties
and cannot testify about the Jewish people’s commitment to the Torah.