Chasidut zu Schemuel II 23:3
אָמַר֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִ֥י דִבֶּ֖ר צ֣וּר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מוֹשֵׁל֙ בָּאָדָ֔ם צַדִּ֕יק מוֹשֵׁ֖ל יִרְאַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃
Der Gott Israels sagte: Der Felsen Israels sprach zu mir: 'Herrscher über die Menschen werden die Gerechten sein, auch der, der in der Furcht Gottes regiert.
Kedushat Levi
Genesis 44,18. “Yehudah came forward and said: ‘please my lord allow your servant to say something for your ears only, and do not become angry at your servant, for you are similar to Pharaoh himself.” When reading this introduction of Yehudah’s plea we are reminded of a statement in the Talmud Moed katan 16, when quoting Samuel II 23,3. [The following is misquoted in the Hebrew versions of several editions, and no Biblical source is given. Ed.]
David is speaking in his final address; אמר אלוקי ישראל לי דבר צור ישראל מושל באדם צדיק מושל יראת אלוקים. “Israel’s G’d said: ‘concerning Me, Israel’s Rock: “be ruler over mankind; be righteous, be a ruler practicing the fear of the Lord.” The Talmud understands the unspoken rhetorical question of G’d as to who “rules” Him, by answering that the righteous does so when he is able to squash decrees issued by G’d. [As the author has mentioned several times already. Ed.]
This also appears to be the meaning of the verse (psalms 48,5) כי הנה המלכים נועדו, “see the kings joined forces,” (strove against one another) quoted by the Zohar I, 206. The “kings” in our verse are understood as being Joseph and Yehudah respectively; Joseph is called there קדוש ברוך, whereas Yehudah is called כנסת ישראל, “the collective soul of the Jewish people.” In our verse the Torah describes the confrontation on a spiritual level of the collective soul of the Jewish people and the individual ruler represented by Joseph. The collective soul of the Jewish people, Yehudah, confronts G’d represented by Joseph. This collective soul of the Jewish people seeks to overturn an evil decree issued by G’d by prayer (concerning the detention of Binyamin in Egypt as a slave). When the tzaddikim, i.e. people normally content to live by the stringent standards of the attribute of Justice, resort to an appeal to the attribute of Mercy, they do so when they plead on behalf of others. Hence Yehudah prefaces his words with the word בי, an appeal not to justice but to do something beyond justice. These tzaddikim are at pains not to create the impression that they have lowered their standards concerning their own conduct. The category of tzaddikim to whom such power of squashing G’d’s decrees is attributed are the ones who relate to G’d from the vantage point of אין, “naught” [explained by the author as a negation of “self,” one’s own dignity, opposite Hashem.] This total negation of self is rewarded by G’d when they intercede on behalf of others in an effort to squash or soften a negative decree.
The sages, (introduction to the Zohar 10,) when commenting on Jeremiah 10,7 כי בכל חכמי הגוים ובכל מלכותם מאין כמוך, “for amongst all the wise men of the gentile nations and amongst all their kings there is none comparable to You,” the implication is that “but amongst the Israelites” there is someone comparable to You. When the prophet Elijah as well as the prophet Elisha revived the dead, this was considered as proof that the חכמי ישראל, the wise men of Israel, can perform acts that only G’d can perform. When the just succeed in squashing decrees of G’d that were meant to kill the victims, they too compare to G’d by that same criterion, i.e. they revive those that were “dead,” were it not for the prayers of the righteous. G’d is perceived of granting life or denying life just as He provides rainfall, without which we would not survive for long; the righteous’ prayers for rain when granted achieve exactly the same result.
According to the writings of the Ari’z’al the “attribute” אין is described in the Hebrew alphabet in the Holy Scriptures as the letter כ, whereas the “attribute” יראה, “awe and reverence” is represented by the letter י. The word כי in the verse from Jeremiah quoted in the previous paragraph therefore alludes to this quality of אין, total negation of self, that characterizes some of our tzaddikim in their relationship to G’d, and in their service of Him, when they completely deny their ego, or “self.” This very denial of self, obliteration of one’s ego, is capable of resulting in a commensurate degree of התגלות ה', “revelation” of aspects of G’d’s essence. When Yehudah described Joseph as כ-פרעה, where the כ symbolizes this negation of self found in the most exalted ruler, (who does no longer need to impress his peers with his “superiority,”) who can therefore reveal a different virtue, the revelation of an attribute superior to that of Justice, the attribute of Mercy.
David is speaking in his final address; אמר אלוקי ישראל לי דבר צור ישראל מושל באדם צדיק מושל יראת אלוקים. “Israel’s G’d said: ‘concerning Me, Israel’s Rock: “be ruler over mankind; be righteous, be a ruler practicing the fear of the Lord.” The Talmud understands the unspoken rhetorical question of G’d as to who “rules” Him, by answering that the righteous does so when he is able to squash decrees issued by G’d. [As the author has mentioned several times already. Ed.]
This also appears to be the meaning of the verse (psalms 48,5) כי הנה המלכים נועדו, “see the kings joined forces,” (strove against one another) quoted by the Zohar I, 206. The “kings” in our verse are understood as being Joseph and Yehudah respectively; Joseph is called there קדוש ברוך, whereas Yehudah is called כנסת ישראל, “the collective soul of the Jewish people.” In our verse the Torah describes the confrontation on a spiritual level of the collective soul of the Jewish people and the individual ruler represented by Joseph. The collective soul of the Jewish people, Yehudah, confronts G’d represented by Joseph. This collective soul of the Jewish people seeks to overturn an evil decree issued by G’d by prayer (concerning the detention of Binyamin in Egypt as a slave). When the tzaddikim, i.e. people normally content to live by the stringent standards of the attribute of Justice, resort to an appeal to the attribute of Mercy, they do so when they plead on behalf of others. Hence Yehudah prefaces his words with the word בי, an appeal not to justice but to do something beyond justice. These tzaddikim are at pains not to create the impression that they have lowered their standards concerning their own conduct. The category of tzaddikim to whom such power of squashing G’d’s decrees is attributed are the ones who relate to G’d from the vantage point of אין, “naught” [explained by the author as a negation of “self,” one’s own dignity, opposite Hashem.] This total negation of self is rewarded by G’d when they intercede on behalf of others in an effort to squash or soften a negative decree.
The sages, (introduction to the Zohar 10,) when commenting on Jeremiah 10,7 כי בכל חכמי הגוים ובכל מלכותם מאין כמוך, “for amongst all the wise men of the gentile nations and amongst all their kings there is none comparable to You,” the implication is that “but amongst the Israelites” there is someone comparable to You. When the prophet Elijah as well as the prophet Elisha revived the dead, this was considered as proof that the חכמי ישראל, the wise men of Israel, can perform acts that only G’d can perform. When the just succeed in squashing decrees of G’d that were meant to kill the victims, they too compare to G’d by that same criterion, i.e. they revive those that were “dead,” were it not for the prayers of the righteous. G’d is perceived of granting life or denying life just as He provides rainfall, without which we would not survive for long; the righteous’ prayers for rain when granted achieve exactly the same result.
According to the writings of the Ari’z’al the “attribute” אין is described in the Hebrew alphabet in the Holy Scriptures as the letter כ, whereas the “attribute” יראה, “awe and reverence” is represented by the letter י. The word כי in the verse from Jeremiah quoted in the previous paragraph therefore alludes to this quality of אין, total negation of self, that characterizes some of our tzaddikim in their relationship to G’d, and in their service of Him, when they completely deny their ego, or “self.” This very denial of self, obliteration of one’s ego, is capable of resulting in a commensurate degree of התגלות ה', “revelation” of aspects of G’d’s essence. When Yehudah described Joseph as כ-פרעה, where the כ symbolizes this negation of self found in the most exalted ruler, (who does no longer need to impress his peers with his “superiority,”) who can therefore reveal a different virtue, the revelation of an attribute superior to that of Justice, the attribute of Mercy.
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Kedushat Levi
Having said all this, we are faced with the question why according to Rashi, (Genesis 7,7) Noach was of a category described by our sages as קטני אמונה, “lacking in adequate faith.” How could a man be described as perfectly righteous, צדיק תמים, and at the same time display a lack of faith in the Lord? Another question we must ask is why Noach, if he did not feel that rebuking his peers would help, did not at least pray for his fellow human beings prior to the deluge?
We must refer once more to the distinction between the two categories of righteous people. One category has earned the title “tzaddik” because he serves only the one and only true G’d, the Creator, and believes that this Creator is all powerful and guides the universe in accordance with His wishes.
Noach, though aware of the many sexual perversions practiced by the people around him, and being steadfast in not copying their behaviour, is attested to by the Torah describing him as תמים היה בדורותיו, “he was perfect in his time.” Nonetheless, his loyalty to the Creator certainly did not endear him to his peers, hence “he walked with G’d”, as there was no one else “with whom to walk.” Sadly, only G’d appreciated his self-restraint, his righteousness.
Having said all this, we are faced with the question why according to Rashi, (Genesis 7,7) Noach was of a category described by our sages as קטני אמונה, “lacking in adequate faith.” How could a man be described as perfectly righteous, צדיק תמים, and at the same time display a lack of faith in the Lord? Another question we must ask is why Noach, if he did not feel that rebuking his peers would help, did not at least pray for his fellow human beings prior to the deluge?
We must refer once more to the distinction between the two categories of righteous people. One category has earned the title “tzaddik” because he serves only the one and only true G’d, the Creator, and believes that this Creator is all powerful and guides the universe in accordance with His wishes.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmeni in Moed Katan 16 commenting on Samuel II 23,1 where the prophet introduces King David’s last utterances, (actually a “hymn,”) with the words: נאום דוד בן ישי ונאום הגבר הוקם על, ”words of David son of Yishai, and of the strong man who has been elevated and anointed by G’d, etc.” He continues there in verse 3: אמר אלוקי ישראל לי דבר צור ישראל מושל באדם צדיק מושל יראת אלוקים, “Israel’s G’d said concerning me: ‘be ruler over mankind, be ruler over awe of G’d.’” According to Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmeni, the somewhat enigmatic verse must be understood as follows: David, who had raised high the banner of repentance (when he said to the prophet Natan in response to his rebuke that he had been guilty of without ifs or buts in the matter of Bat Sheva) “G’d rules man, whereas the righteous rules G’d.” What is meant by “the righteous rules G’d?” Initially G’d decrees what man’s fate will be; however, the intercession of a tzaddik’s prayer” may result in G’d’s decree being cancelled.” The Talmud suggests that when a tzaddik is not only concerned with his own salvation but endeavours to bring sinners closer to G’d, his prayer can influence G’d to the extent that He will cancel a decree of death already promulgated in heaven against certain individuals or groups of people. Noach, alas, did not engage in active attempts to influence people by rebuking them.
[No doubt, whenever Noach was asked during the 120 years that he built the ark why he did so, he told his peers that G’d had instructed him to do this in order to escape the deluge that would occur. Ed.]
One of the reasons that he did not pray for his fellow man may have been that he felt inadequate to be able to cancel a decree that G’d had told him He had issued. He may have been motivated by considerations we encounter in connection with Neuchadnezzar (Sanhedrin 92). We are told there that when throwing Chananyah, Michael and Azaryah into a fiery furnace from which all three were saved, G’d also commanded Ezekiel to revive the dead bones of the Jews that had been killed by Nevuchadnezzar when he destroyed Jerusalem and burned the Temple. One of the newly revived was instructed to touch Nevuchadnezzar on his forehead and to identify himself as one of the many thousands who had been resurrected. Nevuchadnezzar was so impressed that he began to compose songs of praise extolling the Almighty. Thereupon an angel shut Nevuchadnezzar’s mouth to prevent him from continuing. Had the angel not done so, all the hymns composed by King David would have lost in value when compared to the songs composed by Nevuchadnezzar.
The word used by the Talmud to describe what would have occurred is לגנות, “to denigrate, or defame.” When reminding ourselves of the tzaddik’s ability, under certain conditions to reverse a decree that originated from the Attribute of Justice, and to cause it to become a beneficial decree, we can understand why Nevuchadnezzar had begun to sing the Lord’s praises; [after all he had deliberately destroyed G’d’s Temple on earth. Ed.] When he noticed that Ezekiel’s prayers had resulted in an army of people being resurrected, he became afraid that another prayer by the same person, or persons like him, would result in his life’s work, the destruction of the Temple, being reversed also. In order to pre-empt any prayer by any tzaddik being able to achieve this, he tried to pre-empt anyone from offering such a prayer and being granted his request, by extolling G’d’s greatness in even more glowing terms than David had done in the Book of Psalms.
Noach, far from being a boastful individual, proclaiming himself as a major deity, was the very opposite, a humble person, to whom it would not have occurred that a prayer of his would influence G’d to reverse a decree which He had certainly not arrived at without first having agonized over it. [He even told Noach that He would delay execution of this decree for up to 120 years, this is why He told Noach when he was 480 years old to start building the ark. Ed.] It was because he did not consider himself as especially righteous, that he reasoned that just as he would be saved, so there must be numerous other people of similar stature who would also be saved. When G’d noticed this, He told Noach (Genesis 6,13) that He would have to proceed with His intention to destroy the human race as there was no one who had tried to intercede on their behalf. Nonetheless, He made plain to Noach, that although he had not interceded on behalf of his fellow humans, He would maintain the existing covenant between G’d and mankind through Noach and his family. (Genesis 6,18).
We must refer once more to the distinction between the two categories of righteous people. One category has earned the title “tzaddik” because he serves only the one and only true G’d, the Creator, and believes that this Creator is all powerful and guides the universe in accordance with His wishes.
Noach, though aware of the many sexual perversions practiced by the people around him, and being steadfast in not copying their behaviour, is attested to by the Torah describing him as תמים היה בדורותיו, “he was perfect in his time.” Nonetheless, his loyalty to the Creator certainly did not endear him to his peers, hence “he walked with G’d”, as there was no one else “with whom to walk.” Sadly, only G’d appreciated his self-restraint, his righteousness.
Having said all this, we are faced with the question why according to Rashi, (Genesis 7,7) Noach was of a category described by our sages as קטני אמונה, “lacking in adequate faith.” How could a man be described as perfectly righteous, צדיק תמים, and at the same time display a lack of faith in the Lord? Another question we must ask is why Noach, if he did not feel that rebuking his peers would help, did not at least pray for his fellow human beings prior to the deluge?
We must refer once more to the distinction between the two categories of righteous people. One category has earned the title “tzaddik” because he serves only the one and only true G’d, the Creator, and believes that this Creator is all powerful and guides the universe in accordance with His wishes.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmeni in Moed Katan 16 commenting on Samuel II 23,1 where the prophet introduces King David’s last utterances, (actually a “hymn,”) with the words: נאום דוד בן ישי ונאום הגבר הוקם על, ”words of David son of Yishai, and of the strong man who has been elevated and anointed by G’d, etc.” He continues there in verse 3: אמר אלוקי ישראל לי דבר צור ישראל מושל באדם צדיק מושל יראת אלוקים, “Israel’s G’d said concerning me: ‘be ruler over mankind, be ruler over awe of G’d.’” According to Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmeni, the somewhat enigmatic verse must be understood as follows: David, who had raised high the banner of repentance (when he said to the prophet Natan in response to his rebuke that he had been guilty of without ifs or buts in the matter of Bat Sheva) “G’d rules man, whereas the righteous rules G’d.” What is meant by “the righteous rules G’d?” Initially G’d decrees what man’s fate will be; however, the intercession of a tzaddik’s prayer” may result in G’d’s decree being cancelled.” The Talmud suggests that when a tzaddik is not only concerned with his own salvation but endeavours to bring sinners closer to G’d, his prayer can influence G’d to the extent that He will cancel a decree of death already promulgated in heaven against certain individuals or groups of people. Noach, alas, did not engage in active attempts to influence people by rebuking them.
[No doubt, whenever Noach was asked during the 120 years that he built the ark why he did so, he told his peers that G’d had instructed him to do this in order to escape the deluge that would occur. Ed.]
One of the reasons that he did not pray for his fellow man may have been that he felt inadequate to be able to cancel a decree that G’d had told him He had issued. He may have been motivated by considerations we encounter in connection with Neuchadnezzar (Sanhedrin 92). We are told there that when throwing Chananyah, Michael and Azaryah into a fiery furnace from which all three were saved, G’d also commanded Ezekiel to revive the dead bones of the Jews that had been killed by Nevuchadnezzar when he destroyed Jerusalem and burned the Temple. One of the newly revived was instructed to touch Nevuchadnezzar on his forehead and to identify himself as one of the many thousands who had been resurrected. Nevuchadnezzar was so impressed that he began to compose songs of praise extolling the Almighty. Thereupon an angel shut Nevuchadnezzar’s mouth to prevent him from continuing. Had the angel not done so, all the hymns composed by King David would have lost in value when compared to the songs composed by Nevuchadnezzar.
The word used by the Talmud to describe what would have occurred is לגנות, “to denigrate, or defame.” When reminding ourselves of the tzaddik’s ability, under certain conditions to reverse a decree that originated from the Attribute of Justice, and to cause it to become a beneficial decree, we can understand why Nevuchadnezzar had begun to sing the Lord’s praises; [after all he had deliberately destroyed G’d’s Temple on earth. Ed.] When he noticed that Ezekiel’s prayers had resulted in an army of people being resurrected, he became afraid that another prayer by the same person, or persons like him, would result in his life’s work, the destruction of the Temple, being reversed also. In order to pre-empt any prayer by any tzaddik being able to achieve this, he tried to pre-empt anyone from offering such a prayer and being granted his request, by extolling G’d’s greatness in even more glowing terms than David had done in the Book of Psalms.
Noach, far from being a boastful individual, proclaiming himself as a major deity, was the very opposite, a humble person, to whom it would not have occurred that a prayer of his would influence G’d to reverse a decree which He had certainly not arrived at without first having agonized over it. [He even told Noach that He would delay execution of this decree for up to 120 years, this is why He told Noach when he was 480 years old to start building the ark. Ed.] It was because he did not consider himself as especially righteous, that he reasoned that just as he would be saved, so there must be numerous other people of similar stature who would also be saved. When G’d noticed this, He told Noach (Genesis 6,13) that He would have to proceed with His intention to destroy the human race as there was no one who had tried to intercede on their behalf. Nonetheless, He made plain to Noach, that although he had not interceded on behalf of his fellow humans, He would maintain the existing covenant between G’d and mankind through Noach and his family. (Genesis 6,18).
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Kedushat Levi
The Torah writes in 33,20: ויקרא לו א-ל אלוקי ישראל, “He (G’d) called him ‘a G’d Who is the G’d of Yisrael.’” (Compare Megillah 18) How do we know that G’d bestowed such a “title” on Yaakov? Does it not almost sound blasphemous? [Rabbeinu Bachya, see my translation page 519 already deals with this problem. Ed.]
In order to explain this puzzling verse, we must state categorically that the word א-ל is most certainly not meant to convey that the bearer of that title should be regarded as someone to be worshipped. We need to answer why the Torah chose this occasion for bestowing such a strange sounding title on Yaakov/Yisrael, and if so why only on this occasion? The word אל generally refers to someone powerful and aggressive.
We have mentioned on several occasions that the tzaddik is powerful enough to bring about cancellation of decrees issued by G’d. (Compare also Moed Katan 16 on the subject where G’d Himself is quoted as saying: מי מושל בי? צדיק “Who has the power to rule over me? the righteous.”) This “ruling” over G’d, is restricted to the ability of the righteous to cancel evil decrees directed at the people of Israel by G’d. Accordingly, our verse answers the question: “who is it who called Yaakov “el,” i.e. someone righteous enough to be able to overturn harmful decrees against the Jewish people?” Answer; אלוקי ישראל, “the G’d of Israel.”
In order to explain this puzzling verse, we must state categorically that the word א-ל is most certainly not meant to convey that the bearer of that title should be regarded as someone to be worshipped. We need to answer why the Torah chose this occasion for bestowing such a strange sounding title on Yaakov/Yisrael, and if so why only on this occasion? The word אל generally refers to someone powerful and aggressive.
We have mentioned on several occasions that the tzaddik is powerful enough to bring about cancellation of decrees issued by G’d. (Compare also Moed Katan 16 on the subject where G’d Himself is quoted as saying: מי מושל בי? צדיק “Who has the power to rule over me? the righteous.”) This “ruling” over G’d, is restricted to the ability of the righteous to cancel evil decrees directed at the people of Israel by G’d. Accordingly, our verse answers the question: “who is it who called Yaakov “el,” i.e. someone righteous enough to be able to overturn harmful decrees against the Jewish people?” Answer; אלוקי ישראל, “the G’d of Israel.”
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Me'or Einayim
But through this you can understand what they said, “The tzaddik rules [through] reverence for God (2 Sam. 23:3) … [I rule over humans, but] who rules over Me? The tzaddik, [for I make a decree but he annuls it]” (Moed Katan 16b). For at the hands of the wicked the world collapses and remains in contraction and judgment, God forbid; but at the hands of the tzaddikim the king’s anger is settled, as if it were possible. This can be compared to the child of a king, who when he enters into his father’s [presence] – even at the time of his anger – since the king’s will is to draw very close to his precious child, the characteristic of love is awakened within [the king] toward his child; and then that characteristic expands to all those who are in the king’s gate as well. So it is at the hands of the tzaddikim, who bring themselves closer – along with all things – to their Father in Heaven, giving [God] a restful spirit: [God’s] mind settles, as if it were possible, and the judgments that were awakened at the hands of the wicked are sweetened. And that is [the meaning of] “to collect from the wicked, who destroy [a world created] through ten statements” – for even though the Creation happened through ten statements for their benefit, in order that even there in their lowly place they should be able to hold onto [God’s] characteristics, and similarly [God’s] characteristics and divinity were contracted for them in order that they should recognize [God’s characteristics], as was stated above – and even still, on the contrary, on account of [all] this they distance themselves further. “And to give good reward to the tzaddikim, who sustain a world created through ten statements” – as we have stated above, by way of [the world] being created through ten statements, through contraction; for without this it would not have been possible, and understand this.
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Kedushat Levi
(Exodus 19,20) “The Lord descended on Mount Sinai;”
The statement by our sages in B’rachot 5 that the yardsticks we apply to actions of human beings must not be applied when the Torah appears to apply them also to actions by G’d, is well known. The example quoted by the Talmud, describes the average person selling some of his belongings as feeling saddened that circumstances forced him to do so, while the buyer is overjoyed to have come into possession of what had been offered for sale. Not so with G’d. When He “sells” something, both the buyer and the seller rejoice. When G’d “sold” His Torah to Israel, He was happy that He had found someone worthy of receiving that exclusive “merchandise.”
In Baba Metzia 59 there is an interesting statement in connection with an ingenious construction of a certain baking oven, the builders of which had found a way of protecting that oven against contracting ritual pollution. In spite of the fact that Rabbi Eliezer, the outstanding sage of the time, gave his blessing to this oven, the majority of the sages outvoted him and declared it as requiring the same procedures for purification that was required for ordinary ovens if the latter had become polluted. When Rabbi Eliezer invoked support for his opinion from celestial sources and a heavenly voice proclaimed him as being correct in his ruling, the other sages ignored that voice, saying that ever since the Torah had been given to man, i.e. Moses and the Jewish people, heaven no longer had a legal standing in how to interpret it. This is also a practical example of the ability of the righteous to override or reverse heavenly decrees. In the parlance of the sages: צדיק מושל ביראת אלוקים. There is a somewhat enigmatic statement in Moed Katan 16 which reads as follows, based on Samuel II 23,3 (David speaking) אמר אלוקי ישראל לי דבר צור ישראל מושל באדם צדיק מושל יראת אלוקים. On the face of it, the translation would go something like this: “the G’d of Israel has spoken, the Rock of Israel said concerning me; He who rules men justly, He who rules in awe of G’d.”
The Talmud, i.e. Rabbi Abahu after a short discussion, explained the verse as follows: “the Rock of Israel spoke to me, saying: “I rule man.” To the question of who “rules” G’d? David was given the answer: “the tzaddik.” G’d then elaborated by saying that the tzaddik’s “rule,” meant that whereas He, G’d, formulates decrees, the tzadddik by dint of his relationship to G’d, ביראת אלוקים, can reverse it.
Rabbi Abahu may have been inspired by our verse when the Torah describes G’d as “descending” onto Mount Sinai, i.e. as giving us the Torah, this may be understood as Israel, i.e. the elite of Israel, the righteous having scored a victory over “Him.” In commemoration of this the Talmud describes Moses as adding an additional day to the preparations for receiving the Torah (Compare Shabbat 87) Ordinarily, we would have presumed that when G’d decreed two days of preparation i.e. היום ומחר, “today and tomorrow,” (Exodus 19,10) how could Moses arrogate to himself the right to delay the giving of the Torah by an additional day? Does G’d’s subsequent statement that He would descend on the Mountain on the third day not signify that He had accepted Moses’ addition of an extra day of sanctification? (Exodus 19,11)
The answer is that Avraham had observed all the laws of the Torah even in his own lifetime, without the Torah having been revealed to him. (Compare Yuma 25) The Torah had been in existence, according to Pessachim 54 and other midrashim (2000 years) before G’d created the universe and its letters had served G’d as “building blocks” for the universe. If an Avraham could divine the contents of the Torah without having had it revealed to him, Moses felt that if even at this stage the Jewish people could only qualify for the giving of the Torah after segregating themselves from their wives, that in order for the Torah to become firmly ours, so that we could ignore the interference of a heavenly voice if our interpretation of the Torah would be challenged, an extra day of sanctification might ensure this. By being able to do this, we would demonstrate that the Torah is indeed not in heaven, as Moses told the people in Deuteronomy 30,12. When G’d said that He would descend on Mount Sinai only on the third day, He did not mean that He would delay giving the Torah [after all we observe Shavuot on the 6th day of Sivan Ed.] but that the Torah would become truly the property of the Jewish people only on that day. This is also what G’d had meant when He told the people to be prepared “for three days.” (Exodus 19,15)
The statement by our sages in B’rachot 5 that the yardsticks we apply to actions of human beings must not be applied when the Torah appears to apply them also to actions by G’d, is well known. The example quoted by the Talmud, describes the average person selling some of his belongings as feeling saddened that circumstances forced him to do so, while the buyer is overjoyed to have come into possession of what had been offered for sale. Not so with G’d. When He “sells” something, both the buyer and the seller rejoice. When G’d “sold” His Torah to Israel, He was happy that He had found someone worthy of receiving that exclusive “merchandise.”
In Baba Metzia 59 there is an interesting statement in connection with an ingenious construction of a certain baking oven, the builders of which had found a way of protecting that oven against contracting ritual pollution. In spite of the fact that Rabbi Eliezer, the outstanding sage of the time, gave his blessing to this oven, the majority of the sages outvoted him and declared it as requiring the same procedures for purification that was required for ordinary ovens if the latter had become polluted. When Rabbi Eliezer invoked support for his opinion from celestial sources and a heavenly voice proclaimed him as being correct in his ruling, the other sages ignored that voice, saying that ever since the Torah had been given to man, i.e. Moses and the Jewish people, heaven no longer had a legal standing in how to interpret it. This is also a practical example of the ability of the righteous to override or reverse heavenly decrees. In the parlance of the sages: צדיק מושל ביראת אלוקים. There is a somewhat enigmatic statement in Moed Katan 16 which reads as follows, based on Samuel II 23,3 (David speaking) אמר אלוקי ישראל לי דבר צור ישראל מושל באדם צדיק מושל יראת אלוקים. On the face of it, the translation would go something like this: “the G’d of Israel has spoken, the Rock of Israel said concerning me; He who rules men justly, He who rules in awe of G’d.”
The Talmud, i.e. Rabbi Abahu after a short discussion, explained the verse as follows: “the Rock of Israel spoke to me, saying: “I rule man.” To the question of who “rules” G’d? David was given the answer: “the tzaddik.” G’d then elaborated by saying that the tzaddik’s “rule,” meant that whereas He, G’d, formulates decrees, the tzadddik by dint of his relationship to G’d, ביראת אלוקים, can reverse it.
Rabbi Abahu may have been inspired by our verse when the Torah describes G’d as “descending” onto Mount Sinai, i.e. as giving us the Torah, this may be understood as Israel, i.e. the elite of Israel, the righteous having scored a victory over “Him.” In commemoration of this the Talmud describes Moses as adding an additional day to the preparations for receiving the Torah (Compare Shabbat 87) Ordinarily, we would have presumed that when G’d decreed two days of preparation i.e. היום ומחר, “today and tomorrow,” (Exodus 19,10) how could Moses arrogate to himself the right to delay the giving of the Torah by an additional day? Does G’d’s subsequent statement that He would descend on the Mountain on the third day not signify that He had accepted Moses’ addition of an extra day of sanctification? (Exodus 19,11)
The answer is that Avraham had observed all the laws of the Torah even in his own lifetime, without the Torah having been revealed to him. (Compare Yuma 25) The Torah had been in existence, according to Pessachim 54 and other midrashim (2000 years) before G’d created the universe and its letters had served G’d as “building blocks” for the universe. If an Avraham could divine the contents of the Torah without having had it revealed to him, Moses felt that if even at this stage the Jewish people could only qualify for the giving of the Torah after segregating themselves from their wives, that in order for the Torah to become firmly ours, so that we could ignore the interference of a heavenly voice if our interpretation of the Torah would be challenged, an extra day of sanctification might ensure this. By being able to do this, we would demonstrate that the Torah is indeed not in heaven, as Moses told the people in Deuteronomy 30,12. When G’d said that He would descend on Mount Sinai only on the third day, He did not mean that He would delay giving the Torah [after all we observe Shavuot on the 6th day of Sivan Ed.] but that the Torah would become truly the property of the Jewish people only on that day. This is also what G’d had meant when He told the people to be prepared “for three days.” (Exodus 19,15)
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Kedushat Levi
Genesis 47,19. “and provide us with seed so that we may live and not die.” See Rashi’s commentary on this verse who explains that since the arrival of Yaakov in Egypt and his blessing, the people had begun to sow seed again although the famine had been predicted to last for seven years. Compare also the answer to the question of Nachmanides how Yaakov was able to annul an interpretation given by his son of Pharaoh’s dream according to which the famine would last for seven years. After all, Joseph had spoken in the name of G’d when he had told Pharaoh: את האלוקים עושה הגיד לפרעה, “G’d has revealed to Pharaoh that which He is about to do.” (Genesis 41,28) Joseph had implied that no tzaddik could interfere with this decree of G’d, although the Talmud in Moed Katan 16 told us of the ability of the tzaddik through his prayer to bring about a cancellation of harmful decrees. We must answer that what Joseph had told Pharaoh at that time concerned the existing circumstances, when there was no tzaddik in Egypt whose prayer could influence G’d to rescind part or all of His decree. With the arrival of Joseph’s father in Egypt, circumstances had changed, as there now was a tzaddik of sufficient caliber to bring about a cessation of this decree. This is why Joseph could hand out seed and this was not a waste.
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