In chapter 3, we seem to transition to an entirely new narrative: a colossal image erected by Nevuchadnetzar, before which all nations were commanded to bow and prostrate themselves. At first glance, there is no apparent link between this episode and the preceding chapter. However, Rav Saadia Gaon, the Abarbanel, and following them the Malbim - who elaborates on this extensively and explains it with great clarity - teach that there is a direct connection between the image constructed by Nevuchadnetzar and the dream in the previous chapter.
נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא עֲבַד צְלֵם דִּי־דְהַב, רוּמֵהּ אַמִּין שִׁתִּין פְּתָיֵהּ אַמִּין שִׁת, אֲקִימֵהּ בְּבִקְעַת דּוּרָא בִּמְדִינַת בָּבֶל׃ - King Nevuchadnetzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and whose breadth was six cubits; he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
Nevuchadnetzar had received tidings that brought him little joy: though you are the head of gold, it will not last forever. After you will come silver, bronze, iron, and clay - kingdoms that will wrest sovereignty from you. Nevuchadnetzar resolved to nullify the dream. How does one nullify a dream? There is an insight of the Chasam Sofer, cited in the work Bemishnat Hachalomot, based on the Gemara. The Gemara relates that a woman once cursed Rav, saying to him, "May your chair be overturned" - meaning, quite simply, "May you die." This recalls the custom of overturning the bed (kefiyat hamitah), where upon a person's death the bed was overturned and not sat upon (a practice no longer observed today, but in their time it was part of mourning). Rav immediately stood up from his chair and commanded that it be overturned. What did he seek to accomplish? That her words would be fulfilled literally through that very act, and thus would not need to be realized in the symbolic form of his death.
Similarly, there is practical counsel: if a person dreams that the door of his house fell off - an omen hinting, Heaven forbid, at the death of his wife - he should intentionally dismantle the door. By doing so, he gives the dream a fulfillment and interpretation in plain physical reality, so that it no longer needs to be realized in any other way, having already had a fulfillment.
Nevuchadnetzar was privy to this secret as well. When he heard that he was the head of gold, but that the gold would not endure indefinitely, he declared: I will see to it that the dream is fulfilled in a different manner. What did he do? He constructed an image made entirely of gold. Not merely a head of gold with a body of silver, bronze, iron, and clay, but the entire image of pure gold - signifying that the dominion of Babylon would endure for all time, and that sovereignty would never depart from him.
Where did he erect the image? In the plain of Dura. It is related that the plain of Dura was where the Generation of the Dispersion gathered to build the Tower of Babel. Those early generations were master astrologers and astronomers, possessing deep knowledge of which geographical locations held greater spiritual potency. Nevuchadnetzar knew this as well, which is why he specifically selected this location to erect his monument.
As for its dimensions: sixty cubits high, roughly thirty meters, and a breadth of only six cubits, about three meters. Such a statue is extraordinarily difficult to keep standing; it was not built like a pyramid whose broad base supports its height. Thirty meters is roughly the height of a ten-story building, while its entire width was a mere three meters. Chazal relate: they would set it upright and it would collapse; set it up, and it would fall. Rabbi Levi said: it would not stand until they brought all the gold of Jerusalem and poured it around its base as a foundation - pouring the gold that Nevuchadnetzar had looted from Jerusalem around the feet of the image so that it would stand firm and not topple over. This fulfilled that which is stated: "And their gold shall become an impure thing."
And what is the meaning of "an impure thing" (niddah)? It refers to idolatry. And from where do we derive that idolatry imparts impurity like a niddah? As it is stated, "You shall cast them away like a menstruous woman (dava)." Likewise, when Rachel sat upon the teraphim, she said, "For the way of women is upon me" - and she did not speak falsely, for she was sitting upon an idol, and idolatry imparts impurity like a niddah. This is the meaning of "and their gold shall become an impure thing": your gold will be utilized for the needs of idolatry.
And why specifically these dimensions? Recall that when Daniel began interpreting the dream, he said to him, "Behold, the image you are seeing" - in the present tense. As explained earlier, at that moment Nevuchadnetzar envisioned the apparition once again in his mind's eye. He therefore made an exact replica of the image he had seen, with the precise same measurements, for only in this manner, according to their belief, could the decree of the dream be overturned: an identical image - but fashioned entirely of gold.
וּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא שְׁלַח לְמִכְנַשׁ לַאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא סִגְנַיָּא וּפַחֲוָתָא אֲדַרְגָּזְרַיָּא גְדָבְרַיָּא דְּתָבְרַיָּא תִּפְתָּיֵא וְכֹל שִׁלְטֹנֵי מְדִינָתָא, לְמֵתֵא לַחֲנֻכַּת צַלְמָא דִּי הֲקֵים נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא׃ - And King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
The statue alone was not enough; all nations had to accept his sovereignty, and that rule had to endure. Therefore, he sent to gather all those in positions of authority. Rashi comments that all these titles refer to idolaters. Ibn Ezra explains that these were all official titleholders and dignitaries known in the Chaldean language; but since the Chaldean language is lost to us, just as we do not know the precise meaning of ha'achashtranim bnei haramachim, we lack an exact definition for these terms.
The objective is clear: he gathered the top leaders of every province to come to the dedication of the image, so that through them, all the nations they represented would accept the statue as king over them. This statue symbolized Nebuchadnezzar and his empire, for the head of gold was the Babylonian empire, and here everything was gold. When everyone accepted it as a deity, it was symbolically as though they accepted Nebuchadnezzar as king. In truth, he would have preferred that every single nation attend in its entirety, but he could not assemble the whole world in the valley of Dura. He therefore settled for representative delegations: when the heads of the nations bow down, all the nations become subservient to the statue by extension - meaning subservient to Nebuchadnezzar.
בֵּאדַיִן מִתְכַּנְּשִׁין אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנַיָּא סִגְנַיָּא וּפַחֲוָתָא אֲדַרְגָּזְרַיָּא גְדָבְרַיָּא דְּתָבְרַיָּא תִּפְתָּיֵא וְכֹל שִׁלְטֹנֵי מְדִינָתָא לַחֲנֻכַּת צַלְמָא דִּי הֲקֵים נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא, וְקָיְמִין לׇקֳבֵל צַלְמָא דִּי הֲקֵים נְבֻכַדְנֶצַּר׃ - Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
They all assembled and stood facing the statue, so that they could bow down to it while standing opposite it.
וְכָרוֹזָא קָרֵא בְחָיִל: לְכוֹן אָמְרִין עַמְמַיָּא אֻמַּיָּא וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא׃ - And the herald proclaimed with power: To you it is spoken, O peoples, nations, and languages!
There are two interpretations here. One possibility is: "To you we command - peoples, nations, and languages." Even though not all the people were present, because their representatives were there, it was considered as if all of them bowed. However, the Malbim offers another understanding: the herald addresses the ministers and dignitaries, saying to them that the peoples, nations, and languages are the ones speaking to you. You are their emissaries and representatives, and all your nations are effectively telling you: Bow to the image and accept his kingship. In other words, your bowing is not a private act of an individual leader, but is performed on behalf of the nation and by its authority.
And what is the distinction between amemaya ("peoples"), umaya ("nations"), and lishanaya ("languages")? The Malbim explains: An am (people) has its own ruler, each people with its respective governor. Umot (nations) have distinct religions, each nation with its religion. Lishanot (languages) are differentiated by distinct tongues. A single people might speak two languages, or a single people might hold two religions. Nebuchadnezzar wanted every single power to accept the image as a god: every people with its own ruler was to send a representative, every distinct religion was to send a representative, and every distinct language group was to send a representative.
בְּעִדָּנָא דִּי־תִשְׁמְעוּן קָל קַרְנָא מַשְׁרוֹקִיתָא קַתְרוֹס שַׂבְּכָא פְסַנְתֵּרִין סוּמְפֹּנְיָא וְכֹל זְנֵי זְמָרָא, תִּפְּלוּן וְתִסְגְּדוּן לְצֶלֶם דַּהֲבָא דִּי הֲקֵים נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא׃ - That at the time you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
He commands: When you hear the sound of the seven musical instruments - horn, pipe, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music - you shall fall down and prostrate yourselves before the golden image. And why specifically seven types of musical instruments? The Malbim explains that the seven instruments corresponded to the seven celestial attendants (the planets). In the days of Nevuchadnezzar, they believed strongly in the powers of the celestial bodies, understanding their orbits and their influence upon the world. Therefore, they instituted seven instruments corresponding to the seven planets known by the acronym ShaTzaM ChaNaKaL: Saturn (Shabbetai), Jupiter (Tzedek), Mars (Ma'adim), the Sun (Chammah), Venus (Nogah), Mercury (Kochav), and the Moon (Levanah). These exert influences upon the lower realms, and corresponding to them, they fashioned musical instruments to bring about a reality down below in which Nevuchadnezzar would reign supreme.
Notice that Scripture repeats and emphasizes: "the golden image that King Nevuchadnezzar has set up." Why? To inform us that this was a unique image, fashioned with the specific intention of countering the image in the dream, in order to overturn the dream's decree - and he made it in his capacity as "King Nevuchadnezzar," to ensure that he would remain king and that this reality would never change.
וּמַן־דִּי־לָא יִפֵּל וְיִסְגֻּד, בַּהּ־שַׁעֲתָא יִתְרְמֵא לְגוֹא־אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא׃ - And whoever does not fall down and prostrate himself shall immediately be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Lest anyone think this was optional - that whoever wished to bow could bow, and whoever did not wish could refrain. Anyone who fails to prostrate himself undermines the entire process and could prevent it from taking effect, since the supernal conduits will not receive the earthly actions. Therefore: whoever does not prostrate himself - "at that very moment" (bah sha'ata) - shall be thrown into the fiery furnace. And why the urgency? So that his state of rebellion will not adversely impact the upper worlds. Nevuchadnezzar wanted the prostration to exert its metaphysical influence, and that could only occur if everyone, as one, accepted the sovereignty of the image.
כׇּל־קֳבֵל דְּנָה בֵּהּ־זִמְנָא כְּדִי שָׁמְעִין כׇּל־עַמְמַיָּא קָל קַרְנָא מַשְׁרוֹקִיתָא קַתְרוֹס שַׂבְּכָא פְּסַנְטֵרִין וְכֹל זְנֵי זְמָרָא, נָפְלִין כׇּל־עַמְמַיָּא אֻמַּיָּא וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא סָגְדִין לְצֶלֶם דַּהֲבָא דִּי הֲקֵים נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא׃ - Therefore, at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, harp, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and prostrated themselves before the golden image that King Nevuchadnezzar had set up.
Notice that one instrument is missing here: the sumponya (bagpipe). In the command, seven instruments were listed, yet in the actual execution, only six are enumerated. The Metzudat David offers a wonderful explanation: it is possible that they deliberately did not bring this instrument, because they knew that there would be those who would refuse to bow, and wanted to provide them with a way out. For the decree had stated that anyone who did not bow would be put to death immediately; now they could argue that the conditions of the decree had not been met precisely, since the decree mentioned seven instruments while in practice only six were played. This created an escape route to save them from facing the full rigor of the decree.
The Malbim adds a further insight. At simple glance, one could say that since the representatives were present, it was as if the entire populace were present - just as when a prime minister makes a declaration in a foreign country, we do not say he represents only himself, but his entire nation, whether he was democratically elected or rules by sheer force. However, upon closer scrutiny of the text, two questions arise: First, where is the sumponya? Second, why does the command say "bah sha'ata" (at that very moment), while the execution says "beh zimna" (at that time)? "At that very moment" implies the exact second, whereas "at that time" denotes an approximation - around midday, in the afternoon, between three and four o'clock; the same general period, not the exact instant.
The Malbim resolves this: Nevuchadnezzar was not satisfied with the prostration of the ministers alone; he demanded the comprehensive submission of all the peoples, nations, and languages, so that even the common folk would prostrate themselves. Since communication was not advanced and it was impossible to broadcast the precise moment everywhere at once, he commanded that instruments be stationed in every locality. However, the sumponya was an exceptionally expensive instrument, found only in the royal palace, while other places possessed only six instruments. Therefore, regarding the execution, Scripture states, "beh zimna kedi shame'in kol ammaya" - meaning all the peoples across every region, roughly at that time, such as when the sun was in the middle of the sky: not the exact same second, but during that general window of time. In this way, he achieved his goal that not only the dignitaries and noblemen bowed, but every single individual among the populace bowed personally.
כׇּל־קֳבֵל דְּנָה בֵּהּ־זִמְנָא קְרִבוּ גֻּבְרִין כַּשְׂדָּאִין, וַאֲכַלוּ קַרְצֵיהוֹן דִּי יְהוּדָיֵא׃ - Because of this, at that time, certain Chaldean men came forward and maliciously accused the Jews.
"Akhalu kartzeihon" - they slandered. To inform or slander in Aramaic is "akheil kurtza"; the verse "You shall not go around as a talebearer among your people" is translated by Targum as "Do not eat kurtzin." Rashi writes: And I say that such was the custom of slanderers, to eat a "kurtza" - to eat a morsel of food in the place where they delivered their report. When a person came to inform, they would set a table for him; some say they would serve him a special delicacy. And why the term "kurtzin"? Because one who wishes to speak secretly winks with his eyes (koretz be'einav), not wanting others to hear, communicating through hints - therefore, informing is called "eating kurtzin," after the winking of the eyes and hinting with the lips. The Metzudot, as well as Ibn Ezra, explain that while the root indeed relates to winking, the "eating" is not literal consumption: one who slanders his fellow effectively devours his flesh.
And the prostration, as mentioned, was performed by all the ministers and all the nations. But the ministers Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah did not bow down, because they were Jews, which is why it says, "and brought accusations against the Jews."
עֲנוֹ וְאָמְרִין לִנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מַלְכָּא: מַלְכָּא לְעָלְמִין חֱיִי׃ - They spoke up and said to King Nevuchadnezzar: "O king, live forever!"
Let us examine their wording carefully. They approach the king and open with words of praise, as is customary when addressing a monarch: "Malka le'almin cheyi" - May my lord the king live forever! By way of allusion, one could say they were hinting at the matter of the statue: "The act we performed - fashioning the statue entirely of gold to indicate that your reign will endure - we hope that it achieves its purpose, that you yourself will live forever, and that the entire body of the statue symbolizing your kingdom will endure perpetually."
אַנְתְּ מַלְכָּא שָׂמְתָּ טְּעֵם, דִּי כׇל־אֱנָשׁ דִּי־יִשְׁמַע קָל קַרְנָא מַשְׁרֹקִיתָא קַתְרוֹס שַׂבְּכָא פְסַנְתֵּרִין וְסוּפֹּנְיָה וְכֹל זְנֵי זְמָרָא, יִפֵּל וְיִסְגֻּד לְצֶלֶם דַּהֲבָא׃ וּמַן־דִּי־לָא יִפֵּל וְיִסְגֻּד יִתְרְמֵא לְגוֹא־אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא׃ - You, O king, have issued a decree that every person who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the golden statue; and whoever does not fall down and worship will be cast into the midst of the fiery furnace.
You, my lord the king, issued a command that anyone who hears these musical instruments is obligated to bow down, making no distinction or discrimination between one person and another; rather, whoever does not bow down will be thrown into the fiery furnace. All of this is an introduction to convey: "My lord, there are no excuses; your words were crystal clear."
אִיתַי גֻּבְרִין יְהוּדָאיִן דִּי־מַנִּיתָ יָתְהוֹן עַל־עֲבִידַת מְדִינַת בָּבֶל, שַׁדְרַךְ מֵישַׁךְ וַעֲבֵד נְגוֹ; גֻּבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ לָא־שָׂמוּ עֲלָךְ מַלְכָּא טְעֵם, לֵאלָהָךְ לָא פָלְחִין וּלְצֶלֶם דַּהֲבָא דִּי הֲקֵימְתָּ לָא סָגְדִין׃ - There are certain Judean men whom you appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men have paid no regard to you, O king; they do not serve your gods, nor do they worship the golden statue that you set up.
They say to him: "There are Jewish men whom you yourself appointed as ministers over the province of Babylon, named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego" - these being the Aramaic-Chaldean names given to Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah. "La samu alach malka te'em": this does not mean the colloquial modern Hebrew idiom "they didn't care about you." Te'em means counsel or deliberation: they did not take it to heart or deliberate within themselves to heed your decrees. They ought to have weighed the matter and consulted, for when the king speaks, one must comply; yet they did not think twice and paid no regard whatsoever to your royal decree.
And they go on to magnify the offense: "Le'elahach la falchin" - your god they do not accept at all; "u-letzelem dahava di hekimta la sagdin" - nor do they worship the statue that you commanded. And should you say, "Why should I bother chasing after every individual?", they say to him: No, these are prominent dignitaries appointed over the province of Babylon, and the command applied to them first and foremost.
Furthermore, they emphasize: it is not as though one of them was taking an afternoon nap and was not awakened, nor was he preoccupied with some other matter and lacked the time to bow down. Their failure to fulfill the command stems from their religion and their Torah. And which is more severe: a person who inadvertently violates the king's order, or one who ideologically rejects the king's authority? Surely the latter. One who claims, "I lacked the strength," or "I was not passing by there" - that is one thing; but one who says, "On principle I will not do this; it is unacceptable to me" - that is a far more serious offense.
And precisely therein lay their intention: to convey to the king that this was not merely a private problem with three individuals, but a problem with all the Jews, all of whom are ideologically incapable of accepting that you erect a statue and that they bow to it. In simple terms: you do not have an issue with them alone; you have an issue with all the Jews. Thus they hoped that the king's wrath would be aroused against the entire nation and that a decree would be issued against all Jews - exactly like Haman's scheme, "and it seemed contemptible in his eyes to lay hands on Mordechai alone": if the opportunity presents itself, let them all be killed.
It is obvious that Daniel did not bow down. All the commentators ask: Why does he not appear in the accusation? Why did they not say, 'Daniel did not bow down either; include him with them'? Several answers have been offered. Ibn Ezra cites Yefet ben Ali, one of the early commentators, who suggests that the informers were actually Daniel's friends and therefore did not mention him. A reason can readily be provided for their affection: it is very possible that the informers were among the wise men, and through Daniel's merit and his interpretation of the dream, all the wise men of Babylon had been saved - for had he not interpreted the dream, the wise men would have been executed; therefore, they did not want to tangle with him.
Ibn Ezra also writes that they feared to mention him, since the king had offered incense to him and held him in very high esteem. Another perspective to consider is in a slightly different direction: had they brought Daniel into the picture, the king might have said, 'Hold on, if Daniel is involved, that is a different story entirely,' and he would have treated the entire affair far less severely, as he revered Daniel and did not wish to lose him. They therefore preferred to keep Daniel out of the picture, so that the blow against Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah - and against the Jews - would strike with full force.
There is also an additional reason found in the very wording of the text. They initially listed the lieutenants, governors, judges, and satraps - all men of authority, whose acceptance of the statue's sovereignty was especially crucial, as the statue's influence would impact the upper realms through them. Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah were provincial rulers, and the obligation lay upon them to bow at that very moment; hence, the scrutiny upon them was far greater. Daniel, by contrast, was not one of the provincial rulers, but rather an advisor to the king who sat in the king's gate.