Persia and Yishmael in Jewish Tradition

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.”

וַיִּשְׁכְּנ֨וּ מֵֽחֲוִילָ֜ה עַד־שׁ֗וּר אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּאֲכָ֖ה אַשּׁ֑וּרָה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כׇל־אֶחָ֖יו נָפָֽל׃ {פ}

They dwelt from Havilah, by Shur, which is close to Egypt, all the way to Asshur; they camped alongside all their kin.

אַחַ֣ר ׀ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה גִּדַּל֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֜וֹשׁ אֶת־הָמָ֧ן בֶּֽן־הַמְּדָ֛תָא הָאֲגָגִ֖י וַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֑הוּ וַיָּ֙שֶׂם֙ אֶת־כִּסְא֔וֹ מֵעַ֕ל כׇּל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃

Some time afterward, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite; he advanced him and seated him higher than any of his fellow officials.

אָמַר עוּלָּא: אֵין יְרוּשָׁלָיִם נִפְדֵּית אֶלָּא בִּצְדָקָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה וְשָׁבֶיהָ בִּצְדָקָה״. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: אִי בָּטְלִי יְהִירֵי – בָּטְלִי אַמְגּוּשֵׁי, אִי בָּטְלִי דַּיָּינֵי – בָּטְלִי גְּזִירְפָּטֵי. אִי בָּטְלִי יְהִירֵי בָּטְלִי אַמְגּוּשֵׁי, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְאֶצְרֹף כַּבֹּר סִיגָיִךְ וְאָסִירָה כׇּל בְּדִילָיִךְ״. וְאִי בָּטְלִי דַּיָּינֵי בָּטְלִי גְּזִירְפָּטֵי, דִּכְתִיב: ״הֵסִיר ה׳ מִשְׁפָּטַיִךְ פִּנָּה אֹיְבֵךְ״.

Ulla says: Jerusalem is redeemed only by means of righteousness, as it is stated: “Zion shall be redeemed with justice and those who return to it with righteousness” (Isaiah 1:27). Rav Pappa says: If the arrogant will cease to exist, the Persian sorcerers will cease to exist as well. If the deceitful judges will cease to exist, the royal officers [gazirpatei] and taskmasters will cease to exist. Rav Pappa elaborates: If the arrogant will cease, the Persian sorcerers will cease, as it is written: “And I will purge away your dross [sigayikh] as with lye, and I will remove all your alloy [bedilayikh].” When the arrogant [sigim] are purged, the sorcerers, who are separated [muvdalim] from the fear of God, will also cease. And if the deceitful judges cease to exist, the royal officers and taskmasters will cease to exist, as it is written: “The Lord has removed your judgments; cast out your enemy” (Zephaniah 3:15).

(ד) אָמַר הַכּוּזָרִי: וְאֵיזֶה דָבָר שֶׁהוּא נוֹטֶה מִן הָאֱמֶת אֵצֶל הַפִּילוֹסוֹפִים גָּדוֹל מֵאֱמוּנָתָם שֶׁהָעוֹלָם חָדָשׁ, וְשֶׁהוּא נִבְרָא בְשֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, וְשֶׁהַסִּבָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה מְדַבֶּרֶת עִם אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי אָדָם, עִם הָרוֹמְמוּת שֶׁמְּרוֹמְמִים אוֹתוֹ הַפִּילוֹסוֹפִים מִידִיעַת הַחֶלְקִיּוֹת. וְעִם זֶה הָיָה רָאוּי כְּפִי מַעֲשֵׂה הַפִּילוֹסוֹפִים וְחָכְמָתָם וַאֲמִתָּתָם וְהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתָם, שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הַנְּבוּאָה יְדוּעָה בָהֶם וְנִמְצֵאת בֵּינֵיהֶם, מִפְּנֵי הִדָּבְקָם בָּרוֹחֲנִיּוֹת, וְשֶׁיְּסֻפַּר עֲלֵיהֶם נִפְלָאוֹת וְנוֹרָאוֹת וְכָבוֹד וּגְדֻלָּה. וַאֲנַחְנוּ רוֹאִים הַחֲלוֹמוֹת הַנֶּאֱמָנִים לְמִי שֶׁלֹּא הִתְעַסֵּק בְּחָכְמָה וְלֹא בְּזִכּוּךְ נַפְשׁוֹ, וְנִמְצָא הֵפֶךְ זֶה בְּמִי שֶׁטָּרַח בָּהּ. וְזֶה מוֹרֶה כִּי יֵשׁ לַדָּבָר הָאֱלֹהִי וְלַנְּפָשׁוֹת סוֹד אַחֵר זוּלַת מַה שֶּׁזָּכַרְתָּ, אַתָּה הַפִּילוֹסוֹף:

Al Khazari: What could be more erroneous, in the opinion of the philosophers, than the belief that the world was created in six days, or that the Prime Cause spoke with mortals, not to mention the philosophic doctrine, which declares the former to be above knowing details. In addition to this one might expect the gift of prophecy quite common among philosophers, considering their deeds, their knowledge, their researches after truth, their exertions, and their close connection with all things spiritual, also that wonders, miracles, and extraordinary things would be reported of them. Yet we find that true visions are granted to persons who do not devote themselves to study or to the purification of their souls, whereas the opposite is the case with those who strive after these things. This proves that the divine influence as well as the souls have a secret which is not identical with what you say, O Philosopher.