chapter nine

¹I tell the truth in the Moshiach, I tell not any lie, my conscience says (to) me witness through the Spirit the Holy,

²that my sorrow is great and the sufferings in my heart without a cessation.

³I would wanted to be in cheirem (ban) from the Moshiach for my brothers, my relatives according to flesh;

⁴who are sons of Israel, to whom it belongs the adoption, and the glory and the covenants and the Matan Torah and the ministry and the promises;

⁵to them belong the Avot, and from them is according to flesh the Moshiach, who is G-d over all, with praise for eternity. Amen.

⁶however this means not, that Hashem's word is negated become. because not all are Israel, who are of Israel;

⁷also not, because they stem from Abraham are all children, but: in Isaac will you (SG) called to be seed. (Genesis 21, 12.)

⁸this means, that not the children of the flesh are Hashem's children, but the children of the promise are reckoned as seed.

⁹because this is the word of the promise: according to the this time will I come, and to Sarah will be a son. (Genesis 18, 14; Luke 1, 35.)

¹⁰and not only this, but Rivkah when she is pregnant become of one, Isaac our father—

¹¹before they are yet born become and had yet not done anything good or evil, in order that Hashem's goal may persist according to His election, not through works (good), but through Him, who calls

¹²—is she told become: the greater will serve the lesser (one). (Genesis 25, 23.)

¹³as it stands written: Jacob have I love had, however Esav have I hated. (Malachi 1, 2-3)

¹⁴what then should we say? that with Hashem there is unrighteousness? mercy and peace!

¹⁵because to Moses did He say: I will be merciful to whom I am merciful, and will I (have) compassion on whom I (have) compassion me. (Exodus 33, 19.)

¹⁶so then is it not dependent on the one, who wills and not on the one, who runs, but on that one God of mercy.

¹⁷because the verse says to Pharaoh: really therefore did I you stand up, that I shall to show in you (SG) my power, that my Name shall known to be in the whole earth. (Exodus 9, 16.)

¹⁸so then is He merciful to whom He wants, whom however He wants, hardens He.

¹⁹you (SG) will me therefore say: then why finds fault He still? because who opposes self resists His will?

²⁰however, man, who are you, who has a complaint against Hashem? will then a created thing say to the master of craft: why you have me so made? (Yeshayah 45, 9.)

²¹or, (question) has then not the potter a right over clay to make from the same lump a dish to honor and a dish to dishonor?

²²and if Hashem, wanting to show His wrath and known make His power, had with much patience bear/carry vessels of wrath, which are prepared become for destruction;

²³and so that known to make the wealth of His honor on the vessels of mercifulness, which he did beforehand prepare for glory,

²⁴which He did also call, (namely) us, not only of Jews but even of not Jews?

²⁵as he says also in Hoshea: I will call that, which is not My people, My people, and the not beloved, beloved.

²⁶and it will be, that on the place of, where it is said become to them: you (PL) are not My people, that there will they called to be children by the living G-d. (Hoshea 2, 25)

²⁷and Isaiah calls out over Israel: if the number of the sons of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, will yet (only) a remnant saved to be;

²⁸because the L-rd will carry out His word on the earth, will it complete and cut short. (Yeshayah 10: 22-23.)

²⁹and as Isaiah has said before: if the L-rd of hosts would us not left (remnant) seed, would we become as Sodom, and likened become to Gomorrah. (Yeshayah 1, 9.)

³⁰what then should we say? that the non Jews, which have not pursued righteousness, have attained righteousness, however the righteousness of faith;

³¹and Israel, pursuing a Torah of righteousness, did to the Torah not attained.

³²why? because they did it seek not through faith but through deeds, did they stumble on the stone of stumbling;

³³as it stands written: here lay I in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of stumbling; and everyone, who will believe in him, will not put to shame to be. (Yeshayah 8, 14; 28, 16) (according to Targum HaShevim)