גְּדוֹלָה הֲסָרַת טַבַּעַת יוֹתֵר מֵאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה נְבִיאִים

ביטוי (אנגלית)

Greater is the removal of a seal than that of forty-eight prophets

הגדרה (אנגלית)

Figuratively: danger to life or fear of punishment is more effective than the moral rebukes of the prophets; fear moves people to repent more than all prophetic exhortations. (Originally: “the removal of the ring” refers to Ahasuerus’ decision to destroy the Jews, expressed by removing his signet ring and giving it to Haman so he could issue a decree against them. As a result, the Jews repented and prayed to God to save them.)

(“And the king removed his ring. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Greater was the removal of the ring than the [words of] forty-eight prophets and seven prophetesses who prophesied to Israel, for all of them did not bring Israel back to the right path, whereas the removal of the ring brought them back to the right path.” (Megillah 14a) “Indeed, great too was the removal of the ornament from my father’s tallit, for that as well occupied my heart at the time.” (Shalom Aleichem, It Is a Holiday Not to Weep, p. 11))