Comentario sobre Deuteronómio 33:3
אַ֚ף חֹבֵ֣ב עַמִּ֔ים כָּל־קְדֹשָׁ֖יו בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְהֵם֙ תֻּכּ֣וּ לְרַגְלֶ֔ךָ יִשָּׂ֖א מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ׃
Aun amó los pueblos; Todos sus santos en tu mano: Ellos también se llegaron á tus pies: Recibieron de tus dichos.
Rashi on Deuteronomy
אף חבב עמים YEA, HE LOVED THE PEOPLES — Also He loved the tribes with exceeding love. — Each individual tribe may be termed עם (or גוי), “a people”, for, you see, Benjamin alone was yet to be born when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob, (Genesis 25:11, see Rashi thereon) “A nation and a congregation of nations shall be of you."
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Ramban on Deuteronomy
APH CHOVEIV AMIM.’ Commentators have explained35It is so explained by Rashi and Ibn Ezra. that the word choveiv is of the Aramaic language [as Onkelos rendered and ye shall be Mine ‘segulah’]:36Exodus 19:5. “and you shall be chavivin (beloved) before Me.” The verse [here] is thus stating: “Yea, He loves Israel which consists of many peoples” [i.e., tribes], similar to what is stated, after thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples.37Judges 5:14. And all His holy ones38In Verse 3 before us. of Israel, namely, the Levites, are in Thy hand,38In Verse 3 before us. for You have brought them near You to encamp around the ark.39Numbers 3:23, and 29, 35, 38.
It appears to me that the word choveiv is from the same root as by hiding ‘b’chubi’ (in my bosom) mine iniquity,40Job 31:33. related to the expressions: into an inner chamber ‘l’heichavei’ (to hide thyself);41II Chronicles 18:24. and there is ‘chevyon’ (the hiding of) His power.42Habakkuk 3:4. He is thus stating [here]: “You are also hiding and protecting with Your hand the peoples — all the holy ones of Israel.” The above-mentioned [phrase] suggests that all the congregation are holy, every one of them,43Numbers 16:3. and G-d protects them with His hand, similar in meaning to the verse, And I have put My words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of My hand,44Isaiah 51:16. and like the expression, Thou art my hiding place and my shield.45Psalms 119:114. Similarly, and they take counsel against Thy hidden ones.46Ibid., 83:4. This alludes to what he said, inasmuch as Thou Eternal art seen face to face, and Thy cloud standeth over them.47Numbers 14:14. And similarly he said in the Song [of Ha’azinu], He compassed him about, He cared for him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.48Above, 32:10.
It appears to me that the word choveiv is from the same root as by hiding ‘b’chubi’ (in my bosom) mine iniquity,40Job 31:33. related to the expressions: into an inner chamber ‘l’heichavei’ (to hide thyself);41II Chronicles 18:24. and there is ‘chevyon’ (the hiding of) His power.42Habakkuk 3:4. He is thus stating [here]: “You are also hiding and protecting with Your hand the peoples — all the holy ones of Israel.” The above-mentioned [phrase] suggests that all the congregation are holy, every one of them,43Numbers 16:3. and G-d protects them with His hand, similar in meaning to the verse, And I have put My words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of My hand,44Isaiah 51:16. and like the expression, Thou art my hiding place and my shield.45Psalms 119:114. Similarly, and they take counsel against Thy hidden ones.46Ibid., 83:4. This alludes to what he said, inasmuch as Thou Eternal art seen face to face, and Thy cloud standeth over them.47Numbers 14:14. And similarly he said in the Song [of Ha’azinu], He compassed him about, He cared for him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.48Above, 32:10.
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Sforno on Deuteronomy
אף חובב עמים, he says to G’d that: “I am aware that You are fond of other peoples also, as when You said that the Jewish people are the most precious מכל העמים, from among all the nations, You meant that the species of mankind is something precious to G’d, as our sages said in Avot 3,18 חביב אדם שנברא בצלם, the species of man is especially dear to G’d among all of His creatures, seeing that only man has been created in the image of G’d.” [i.e. there are other nations to which Your relate with fondness. Ed.] כל קדושיו בידיך, You have said that You are holding all Your holy possessions (the Torah) in Your hand [people hold their most precious possessions in their hand, do not entrust them to a briefcase, for instance, which they may deposit somewhere and forget to pick up. Ed.] When You told us in Exodus 19,5 that we are to You an especially precious nation, a kingdom of Priests, You also singled us out as being Your children, (same paragraph in Avot), as well as in Deuteronomy 14,1 “You are children to the Lord your G’d.”
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