Kommentar zu Dewarim 32:22

קדחה means, IT BURNS.

כי אש קדחה באפי, for when I disciplined them in order to induce them to repent their sins this people lit a fire in My wrath ותיקד עד שאול תחתית, they heaped sin upon sin until My wrath burned to the very bottom of Sheol, (lowest layer of purgatory). In other words, their punishment would consist of being consigned to this lowest region of purgatory. (compare Chronicles II 28,22 describing Achaz adding sins as a result of his kingdom having been severely chastised by G’d.)

Down to the foundation. He added the words “you” and “your land” for without this we would not know who would be burned or which land.

V. 22. כי אש קדחה באפי. Denn die zerstörende Macht, die über sie kam, kam infolge meines Unwillens über sie, das gab dieser Macht die so tief und weit greifende zerstörende Gewalt.

ותלהט מוסדי הרים, “(the fire) and set ablaze the foundations of the mountains;” this is analogous to what we read in Job 34,22: אין חשך ואין צלמות להסתר שם פועלי און, “neither darkness nor gloom offers a hiding-place for the evil doers.”

כי אש קדחה באפי, “for a fire is kindled in My ostril;” the jealousy kindled that fire in G-d’s nostril. An alternate interpretation of this simile: though written in the active mode, this word is to be understood as if it had been written in the passive mode, i.e. נקדחה. We have other examples of words written in the active mode actually portraying something that has happened, i.e. passive; one such example is found in Genesis 14,3: כל אלה חברו, “all these (kings) came together,” whereas we would have expected the reflexive/passive mode נתחברו. (Compare Ibn Ezra)

ותיקד AND IT SHALL BLAZE in your midst to the very foundations (Rashi merely supplies the words “in your midst” and paraphrases עד שאול תחתית).

ותלהט מוסדי הרים, it burned and consumed down to the foundations of the mountains. The “mountains” are a simile for the high-ranking personages, all of whom were the first ones to be exiled prior to the destruction of the first Temple. (compare prediction by Isaiah 3, 1-3)

Jerusalem, which is founded on the mountains, etc. Otherwise, why is “the bases of mountains” needed? Scripture has already written that the entire land will be consumed! Rather it is referring to Jerusalem, which is founded on mountains and has its own unique importance.

ותאכל ארץ ויבולה, “ it has consumed the earth and its produce.” This happened in order to starve your people.

ותאכל ארץ ויבלה AND IT SHALL CONSUME THE LAND WITH HER INCREASE — i.e., your land and its produce (Rashi means that ארץ does not mean “the ground”, “the soil”).

ותלהט מוסדי הרים, “and sets ablaze the foundations of the mountains.” Anyone hiding beneath the mountains will be forced to flee from fear of the approaching enemies. As an example, we may recall Judges 6,2, when the Israelites had dug tunnels to hide in caves from their adversaries under the mountains. An alternate interpretation of this simile: “setting the base of mountains ablaze,” means that they could not flee there on account of the fire.

ותלהט AND IT SHALL SET ON FIRE [THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS] — i.e. Jerusalem that is founded on the mountains, as it is said, (Psalms 125:2) “Jerusalem, mountains are round about it” (Sifrei Devarim 320:12).