Me’amets koaḥ (Strengthener of Power)

Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to praise the One who created us in His honor, for the great goodness that He bestowed upon us. For from this day forward we will not fear the multitudes of people who stand over us continually every day. Many of our people who until this day would turn a stubborn shoulder [see Zechariah 7:11] to avoid listening to reproof, they will kneel and bow down and will give honor to the glory of our people and the house of our God. They will all accept the yoke of the kingdom of the perfect sages—“Who are called kings? The sages” [see b. Gittin 62a]—to observe and do everything that they utter in their wisdom, which provides insight and goodness. For when the leaders of the holy people come together, they have the strength to provide appropriate leadership. They have not had the power to do so until now, out of fear of those who use their money to gain improper advantages. There is no comparison between the strength of the many when they join and band together to their power when they are separated and scattered, God forbid. For their might is increased through their many voices and they are heard from afar, as they bring many communities together. The sages, of blessed memory, expressed this idea with characteristic brevity: “the gathering of the righteous is good for them and good for the world, etc.” [see m. Sanhedrin 8:5]. This is the nature of all items, that when they are joined together, they become stronger and impossible to break. For whereas a single branch of a tree can easily be broken with the hands of a single person when it is by itself, ten branches together cannot be smashed even by ten men with all their might. The same applies to all things. Thus, the sages said regarding the verse: In the multitude of people is the king’s glory (Proverbs 14:28), that the praise of the king in a large multitude cannot be compared to his praise in a small crowd, thereby alluding to the enhanced strength of a merging of smaller parts. [ . . . ]

I therefore say to your entire community: May the Lord increase you a thousand times your present size [see Deuteronomy 1:11]. You should make the effort to ensure that peace reigns among you. Each should recognize his level, and the lesser men should pay heed to the greater ones, as the happiness of the people depends upon this approach. This is what David, of blessed memory, wished for when he stated: Whose oxen are well laden, with no breach, and no going forth, and no outcry in our broad places (Psalms 144:14). In other words, when our oxen, the great men, are well laden and carried by the lesser men, as is proper, then there is no breach, no going forth, and no outcry in the broad places of the city. In such a case, they are worthy for it to be said about them in the next verse: Happy is the people for whom this is so; happy is the people whose God is the Lord (Psalms 144:15). For if this is the state of the people at peace, clearly the Lord their God watches over them with His Providence.

Likewise, it is fitting that the great ones, i.e., the rich people, should be well laden and bear the burden of the poor and destitute through their taxes and levies that they are unable to pay. This will ensure that there will be no breach between them, nor an outcry for the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy (Psalms 12:6). According to this interpretation, this is the meaning of the verse: when the oxen are well laden, that is, they are laden with the poor on their shoulders, as they bear them in all their troubles, then there is no breach, no going forth, and no outcry etc., and it is right to proclaim about them: Happy is the people for whom this is so, etc. If this is the situation, then God will quickly redeem us, just as we ourselves witnessed the private redemption through which we were spared from the hand of the persecutor by means of this decree of our freedom. This occurred thanks to God’s mercy upon us, and our children and little ones, as He removed robbery and oppression from upon us. This is alluded to in the words of the prophet: Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for God the Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation, etc. (Isaiah 12:2). In other words, I will trust in the God of my complete future salvation, and I will not be afraid that it will be lacking in any respect, for I have seen that the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has already become my personal salvation. All the more so, the complete salvation for all Israel shall not lack anything, may it come to pass, speedily and soon, Amen.