Sanhedrin Daf 39 סַנהֶדרִין דַף 39

The Gemara records numerous exchanges between heretics and Sages. In the first exchange, a heretic said to Rabban Gamliel, “Your G-d is a thief! For the passuk says that Hashem put Adam to sleep and took one of his sides and fashioned it into a woman.” The כופר’s daughter told Rabban Gamliel that she would answer him, and she told her father that she needs a judge, because thieves had stolen a silver pitcher from them in the night and replaced it with a golden one. The כופר responded, “If only such thieves would come to us every day!” She replied: ולא יפה היה לו לאדם הראשון – And was it not beneficial for Adam HaRishon, שנטלו ממנו צלע אחת – that one side was taken from him, ונתנו לו שפחה לשמשו – and he was given a maid to serve him?!” The כופר countered that he meant it should have been taken from him openly, not secretly while Adam slept. She showed him raw meat being placed under ashes and roasted, and the כופר became disgusted with it and could not eat it.  She explained that if Adam had seen his side cut away, the woman would have been repulsive to him.

The passuk says that when Achav died, "הרינה" – “the” rejoicing spread throughout the camp, and Rav Acha bar Chanina explains that the passuk "ובאבוד רשעים רנה" – and when the wicked perish there is rejoicing, was referring to Achav’s demise. The Gemara objects: ומי חדי קודשא בריך הוא במפלתן של רשעים – and does Hashem rejoice over the downfall of the wicked? But King Yehoshafat set up men to sing before his troops going to war, "הודו לה' כי לעולם חסדו" – Thank Hashem, for His kindness is forever, and Rebbe Yonasan explained that they did not say the usual "כי טוב" – for it is good, because Hashem does not rejoice over the downfall of the wicked!? Furthermore, Rebbe Yonasan said that when the Egyptians were drowning in the ים סוף, the מלאכי השרת sought to say שירה before Hashem, but Hashem said: מעשה ידי טובעין בים ואתם אומרים שירה לפני – My handiwork is drowning in the sea, and you recite a song before Me?!” This, too, proves that Hashem does not rejoice over the downfall of the wicked!?

Rebbe Yose bar Chanina answered: הוא אינו שש אבל אחרים משיש – [Hashem] does not Himself rejoice, but He causes others to rejoice.

Rebbe Yitzchak says that עובדיה merited prophecy, despite being a ger, because he hid a hundred prophets in a cave from איזבל, the wicked queen who was murdering them. The Gemara asks why עובדיה was chosen to deliver the prophecy about Edom’s eventual destruction, and two answers are given: (1) Rebbe Yitzchak says that Hashem said: יבא עובדיהו הדר בין שני רשעים – Let Ovadiahu, who lived among two wicked people (Achav and איזבל), ולא למד ממעשיהם – and did not learn from their evil ways, וינבא על עשו הרשע – and prophecy about the destruction of the wicked Esav, שדר בין שני צדיקים ולא למד ממעשיהם – who lived among two righteous people (Yitzchak and Rivka) and did not learn from their ways. (2) Rebbe Meir explains that עובדיה was a ger from Edom, so it was fitting that he should prophecy Edom’s downfall. והיינו דאמרי אינשי – This illustrates the popular expression: מניה וביה אבא ניזיל ביה נרגא – from the very woods comes the handle of the hatchet to destroy the woods. Rebbe Shimon ben Yochai applied this expression to Dovid, who struck the nation of Moav, from whom he descended.