Rashi on the Prophets and Writings

al tashcheth [lit. do not destroy] Israel.

We have thanked You, O God for the good; we have thanked also for the evil. and...is near Your name is always near in our mouth. they have told Our generations [have] constantly [told] Your wonders.

When I take a festive day When we have a festival, we do not engage in obscenity and levity, as [do] all the nations. I shall judge with fairness We take it to our heart to praise You and laud You according to the incident of that day.

When the earth and all its inhabitants were melting away, etc. On the day of the giving of the Torah, when the earth and all its inhabitants were melting away because of the condition You made with the Creation: that if Israel did not accept the Torah, you would return it [the earth] to void and chaos. I Your people, Israel. established its pillars when I said, “We will do and we will hear.”

to the perverse To the wicked, who confuse Israel.

For it is not from the east of the sun or from its setting, and not from the deserts where you embark on a journey by caravan to increase [your] property; there is no power in any of these to raise [your] horn.

But God judges [you] for all the evil that you have done. He humbles this one and elevated that one The elevated one He lowers, and the lowly He elevates.

For a cup of weakness is in His hand. and strong wine Heb. חמר, strong. Vinos, or vinose, in Old French. a full mixture The cup is full of a mixture, to mix and give all the nations to drink. and He pours out of this Out of this cup, He will pour and cause to gush forth their drinks, an expression of (Micah 1:4): “as water poured (מגרים) down a steep place.”

And I shall recite forever From then on, [I will recite] His vengeance and His might.

And all the horns of the wicked of Esau. I shall cut off As the matter that is stated (Ezek. 29: 14): “And I shall lay My vengeance against Edom by the hand of My people, Israel.” They will cut off the horn of Esau (the enemy), and then the horns of the Righteous One of the world—Israel, who are the praise of the Holy One, blessed be Hewill be upraised.