For the source text click/tap here: Zevachim 116
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According to our daf the revelation at Sinai produced cosmic trembling. The nations of the world, perceiving the extraordinary character of this event, gathered before Balaam to inquire about its meaning. Balaam explains that God is giving Torah to Israel, and the nations, reassured that the upheaval does not signal a second flood, pronounce a blessing upon Israel. This narrative framework establishes the theological context within which Rahab's testimony will be situated: she speaks as a representative of those nations who have witnessed, from the outside, the power of Israel's God…
We explore her role in Pshat, Midrash and modern voices.