Persia and Yishmael in Jewish Prophecy

וְה֤וּא יִהְיֶה֙ פֶּ֣רֶא אָדָ֔ם יָד֣וֹ בַכֹּ֔ל וְיַ֥ד כֹּ֖ל בּ֑וֹ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כׇל־אֶחָ֖יו יִשְׁכֹּֽן׃

He shall be a wild ass of a person; His hand against everyone, And everyone’s hand against him; He shall dwell alongside all his kin.”

וַיְהִ֖י בִּימֵ֣י אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ ה֣וּא אֲחַשְׁוֵר֗וֹשׁ הַמֹּלֵךְ֙ מֵהֹ֣דּוּ וְעַד־כּ֔וּשׁ שֶׁ֛בַע וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּמֵאָ֖ה מְדִינָֽה׃ בִּשְׁנַ֤ת שָׁלוֹשׁ֙ לְמׇלְכ֔וֹ עָשָׂ֣ה מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה לְכׇל־שָׂרָ֖יו וַעֲבָדָ֑יו חֵ֣יל ׀ פָּרַ֣ס וּמָדַ֗י הַֽפַּרְתְּמִ֛ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י הַמְּדִינ֖וֹת לְפָנָֽיו׃

It happened in the days of Ahasuerus—that Ahasuerus who reigned over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Cush. in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all the officials and courtiers—the administration of Persia and Media, the nobles and the governors of the provinces in his service.

כִּי־כֹ֛ה אָמַ֥ר אֲדֹנָ֖י אֵלָ֑י בְּע֤וֹד שָׁנָה֙ כִּשְׁנֵ֣י שָׂכִ֔יר וְכָלָ֖ה כׇּל־כְּב֥וֹד קֵדָֽר׃ וּשְׁאָ֧ר מִסְפַּר־קֶ֛שֶׁת גִּבּוֹרֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־קֵדָ֖ר יִמְעָ֑טוּ כִּ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל דִּבֵּֽר׃ {ס}

For thus my Sovereign has said to me: “In another year, fixed like the years of a hired laborer, all the multitude of Kedar shall vanish; the remaining bows of Kedar’s warriors shall be few in number; for the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, has spoken.”

וָאֶשָּׂ֤א עֵינַי֙ וָאֶרְאֶ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ אַ֣יִל אֶחָ֗ד עֹמֵ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י הָאֻבָ֖ל וְל֣וֹ קְרָנָ֑יִם וְהַקְּרָנַ֣יִם גְּבֹה֗וֹת וְהָאַחַת֙ גְּבֹהָ֣ה מִן־הַשֵּׁנִ֔ית וְהַ֨גְּבֹהָ֔ה עֹלָ֖ה בָּאַחֲרֹנָֽה׃ רָאִ֣יתִי אֶת־הָאַ֡יִל מְנַגֵּ֩חַ֩ יָ֨מָּה וְצָפ֜וֹנָה וָנֶ֗גְבָּה וְכׇל־חַיּוֹת֙ לֹֽא־יַֽעַמְד֣וּ לְפָנָ֔יו וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּ֖יל מִיָּד֑וֹ וְעָשָׂ֥ה כִרְצֹנ֖וֹ וְהִגְדִּֽיל׃

I looked and saw a ram standing between me and the river; he had two horns; the horns were high, with one higher than the other, and the higher sprouting last. I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward. No beast could withstand him, and there was none to deliver from his power. He did as he pleased and grew great.

אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר רַבִּי: עֲתִידָה רוֹמִי שֶׁתִּפּוֹל בְּיַד פָּרַס, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לָכֵן שִׁמְעוּ עֲצַת ה׳ אֲשֶׁר יָעַץ (עַל) אֱדוֹם וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר חָשַׁב (עַל) יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵימָן אִם לֹא יִסְחָבוּם צְעִירֵי הַצֹּאן אִם לֹא יַשִּׁים עֲלֵיהֶם נְוֵהֶם״. מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַבָּה בַּר עוּלָּא: מַאי מַשְׁמַע דְּהַאי ״צְעִירֵי הַצֹּאן״ פָּרַס הוּא — דִּכְתִיב: ״הָאַיִל אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ בַּעַל הַקְּרָנָיִם (הוּא) מַלְכֵי מָדַי וּפָרָס״. וְאֵימָא יָוָן, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְהַצָּפִיר הַשָּׂעִיר מֶלֶךְ יָוָן״! כִּי סְלֵיק רַב חֲבִיבָא בַּר סוֹרְמַקִי, אַמְרַהּ קַמֵּיהּ דְּהָהוּא מֵרַבָּנַן, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאן דְּלָא יָדַע פָּרוֹשֵׁי קְרָאֵי מוֹתֵיב תְּיוּבְתָּא לְרַבִּי?! מַאי ״צְעִירֵי הַצֹּאן״ — זוּטְרָא דַּאֲחוֹהִי. דְּתָנֵי רַב יוֹסֵף: תִּירָס — זֶה פָּרַס. אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי אִלְעַאי: עֲתִידָה רוֹמִי שֶׁתִּפּוֹל בְּיַד פָּרַס, קַל וָחוֹמֶר: וּמָה מִקְדָּשׁ רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁבְּנָאוּהוּ בְּנֵי שֵׁם וְהֶחְרִיבוּהוּ כַּשְׂדִּיִּים — נָפְלוּ כַּשְׂדִּיִּים בְּיַד פָּרְסִיִּים. מִקְדָּשׁ שֵׁנִי שֶׁבְּנָאוּהוּ פָּרְסִיִּים וְהֶחְרִיבוּהוּ רוֹמִיִּים — אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁיִּפְּלוּ רוֹמִיִּים בְּיַד פָּרְסִיִּים?

§ Apropos the opinion that Tiras is Persia, the Gemara addresses a related matter. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: Rome is destined to fall into the hands of Persia, as it is stated: “Now hear the plan that the Lord has devised for Edom, and the thoughts He has considered for the residents of Teiman. Surely the youngest of the flock will drag them away, surely their habitation will be appalled due to them” (Jeremiah 49:20). Rabba bar Ulla strongly objected to this. From where may it be inferred that this phrase: Youngest of the flock, is Persia? It is as it is written: “The ram that you saw sporting two horns are the kings of Media and Persia” (Daniel 8:20), and the ram is a member of the flock mentioned in the verse. Still, how is that proof? And say that youngest of the flock refers to Greece, who will overthrow Rome, as it is written: “The goat is the king of Greece” (Daniel 8:21). The goat, too, could be characterized as a member of the flock. When Rav Ḥaviva bar Surmakei ascended from Babylonia to Eretz Yisrael, he stated this difficulty before a certain one of the Sages. That Sage said to him: One who does not know how to interpret verses is so arrogant that he raises an objection to the opinion of the great Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi? Indeed, Rabba bar Ulla misunderstood the basis of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s interpretation. What is the meaning of the phrase: The youngest of the flock? It means the youngest of the brothers, a reference to Persia, as Rav Yosef taught: Tiras, the youngest of Japheth’s sons, that is Persia. Similarly, Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Elai: Rome is destined to fall into the hands of Persia. This is derived by means of an a fortiori inference: Just as the First Temple, that the descendants of Shem built it and the Chaldeans destroyed it, and in turn the Chaldeans, ruled by Belshazzar, fell to Persians, ruled by Darius the Mede and his son-in-law Cyrus the Persian; the Second Temple, that the Persians built it and the Romans destroyed it, is it not right that the Romans will fall into the hands of the Persians?

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר דְּבָרִים עֲתִידִין בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּאָרֶץ בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: יָמֹדּוּ הָאָרֶץ בַּחֲבָלִים, וְיַעֲשׂוּ בֵּית הַקְּבָרוֹת לְמַרְבֵּץ צֹאן אַשְׁפָּתוֹת, וּמָדְדוּ בָהֶן וּמֵהֶן עַל רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים, וְיִרְבֶּה הַשֶּׁקֶר וְיִגָּנֵז הָאֱמֶת, וְיִרְחַק חֹק מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וְתִרְבֶּה עֲוֹנוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, שָׁנִי תּוֹלַעַת כַּצֶּמֶר, וְיִקְמֹל הַנְּיָר וְהַקּוּלְמוּס, וְיִפְסֹל סֶלַע מַלְכוּת, וְיִבְנוּ הֶהָרִים הֶעָרִים הַחֲרֵבוֹת, וִיפַנּוּ הַדְּרָכִים, וְיִטְּעוּ גַּנּוֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִים, וְיִגְדְּרוּ פְּרוּצוֹת חוֹמוֹת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְיִבְנוּ בִּנְיָן בַּהֵיכָל, וּשְׁנֵי אַחִים יַעַמְדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם נְשִׂיאִים בְּסוֹפָן, וּבִימֵיהֶן יַעֲמֹד צֶמַח בֶּן דָּוִד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ב, מד): ״וּבְיוֹמֵיהוֹן דִּי מַלְכַיָּא אִנּוּן יְקִים אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא מַלְכוּ דִּי לְעָלְמִין לָא תִתְחַבַּל״. וְעוֹד הָיָה רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: שָׁלֹשׁ מִלְחָמוֹת שֶׁל מְהוּמָה עֲתִידִין בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּאָרֶץ בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי מִפְּנֵי חֲרָבוֹת נָדָדוּ״. וְאֵין חֲרָבוֹת אֶלָּא מִלְחָמוֹת. אַחַת בַּיַּעַר בַּעֲרָב, ״מִפְּנֵי חֶרֶב נְטוּשָׁה״; וְאַחַת בַּיָּם, ״מִפְּנֵי קֶשֶׁת דְּרוּכָה״; וְאַחַת בַּכְּרַךְ גָּדוֹל שֶׁהוּא כָּבֵד מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי מִפְּנֵי כֹּבֶד מִלְחָמָה״. וּמִשָּׁם בֶּן דָּוִד יִצְמַח וְיִרְאֶה בְּאָבְדָן שֶׁל אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ, וּמִשָּׁם יָבֹא לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִי זֶה בָּא מֵאֱדוֹם, חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים מִבָּצְרָה, זֶה הָדוּר בִּלְבוּשׁוֹ, צֹעֶה בְּרֹב כֹּחוֹ, אֲנִי מְדַבֵּר בִּצְדָקָה רַב לְהוֹשִׁיעַ״.

Rabbi Ishmael said: In the future the children of Ishmael will do fifteen things in the land (of Israel) in the latter days, and they are: They will measure the land with ropes; they will change a cemetery into a resting-place for sheep (and) a dunghill; they will measure with them and from them upon the tops of the mountains; falsehood will multiply and truth will be hidden; the statutes will be removed far from Israel; sins will be multiplied in Israel; worm-crimson will be in the wool, and he will cover with insects paper and pen; he will hew down the rock of the kingdom, and they will rebuild the desolated cities and sweep the ways; and they will plant gardens and parks, and fence in the broken walls of the Temple; and they will build a building in the Holy Place; and two brothers will arise over them, princes at the end; and in their days the Branch, the Son of David, will arise, as it is said, || "And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed" (Dan. 2:44). Rabbi Ishmael also said: Three wars of trouble will the sons of Ishmael in the future wage on the earth in the latter days, as it is said, "For they fled away from the swords" (Isa. 21:15). "Swords" signify only wars, one in the forest of Arabia, as it is said, "From the drawn sword" (ibid.); another on the sea, as it is said, "From the bent bow" (ibid.); and one in the great city which is in Rome, which will be more grievous than the other two, as it is said, "And from the grievousness of the war" (ibid.). From there the Son of David shall flourish and see the destruction of these and these, and thence will He come to the land of Israel, as it is said, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save" (Isa. 63:1).

תַּנְיָא אָמַר רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים אוֹהֵב אֲנִי אֶת הַפַּרְסִיִּים: הֵן צְנוּעִין בַּאֲכִילָתָן, וּצְנוּעִין בְּבֵית הַכִּסֵּא, וּצְנוּעִין בְּדָבָר אַחֵר. ״אֲנִי צִוֵּיתִי לִמְקֻדָּשָׁי״, תָּנֵי רַב יוֹסֵף: אֵלּוּ הַפַּרְסִיִּים הַמְקוּדָּשִׁין וּמְזוּמָּנִין לְגֵיהִנָּם.

It was taught in a baraita, Rabban Gamliel said: In three aspects of their conduct, I like the Persians: They are a modest people; they are modest in their eating, they are modest in the lavatory, and they are modest in another matter, i.e., sexual relations. While they have been praised here regarding certain specific aspects of their conduct, the Gemara proceeds to offer another perspective on the Persians based on a verse describing the destruction of Babylonia at the hands of the Persian and Median armies: “I have commanded My consecrated ones; I have also called My mighty ones for My anger, even My proudly exulting ones” (Isaiah 13:3). Rav Yosef taught a baraita: These are the Persians who are consecrated and designated for Gehenna, for they have been sent by God to carry out his mission of anger, and they will be sent to Gehenna.

(כט) אָמַר הַכּוּזָרִי: אִם כֵּן אַתֶּם הַיּוֹם גּוּף בְּלֹא רֹאשׁ וּבְלֹא לֵב.

29. Al Khazari: So you are to-day a body without either head or heart.