Kabbalah Library

76. When Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah [also known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego] were imprisoned, to drop them into the furnace of the burning fire, Hananiah said, “The Lord is for me, I shall not fear what man does to me.” Mishael said, “‘And you, fear not My servant Jacob, and do not dread, O Israel, for I am with you,’ declares the Lord.” Azariah said, “Hear O Israel.”

77. The Creator said, “One will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,” this is Hananiah, who said, “The Lord is for me, I shall not fear. “Another will call himself by the name of Jacob,” this is Mishael, who said, “And you, fear not My servant Jacob.” “And name himself by the name of Israel” is Azariah, who said, “Hear O Israel.” “Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now grow pale.”

78. Why was Daniel not among them? Indeed, Daniel said, “I am called Belshazzar,” like the name of his god, as it is written, “Belteshazzar after the name of my God,” and as it is written, “Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, and worshipped Daniel.” And the Creator said, “You shall burn the statues of their gods with fire.” This is why he went and was not with them.

79. What did Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah see that they fell into the fire? They said, “The frogs dropped themselves into the fire under the commandment of the Creator in order to harm the Egyptians. We, all the more so, must throw ourselves into the fire for the glory or our Lord.”