Commentaire sur Les Nombres 22:30

ההסכן הסכנתי — Understand this as the Targum does — HAVE I EVER LEARNT? Similar is, (Job 22:2) “Does a man learn (יסכן) for God’s benefit” (see Rashi on this verse). And our Rabbis have explained this verse in the Talmud: They said to him, “What is the reason you are not riding on a horse?” He replied to them: “I have left it in the meadow grass” (i.e., I have put it out to graze). Whereupon the ass exclaimed: Am I not your ass upon whom thou hast ridden from my very youth unto this day?!” (so you see, you have never possessed a horse) — as it is related in Treatise Avodah Zarah 4b.

?ההסכן הסכנתי, you should have reflected on the meaning of my behaviour knowing that it is so totally out of character for me to act in this manner unless there was an urgent reason. You should have realised that all this only happened to you in order to teach you that your plan will not succeed, for even though you did not have an overt sign there have been hints.

I sent it out to pasture. [ברטיבא שדאי] means, “They are grazing in the dirt” as if to say the horses are grazing in the field, but she said to him “I am your donkey.” He said, “Yes for [carrying a] burden but not for riding.” But she said to him, “That you have been riding on me.” He said, “Sometimes, on a temporary basis.” But she said to him, “All of your life until this very day, and not just this but you have also lain with me” as it says, "ההסכן הסכנתי ["was it ever my habit"]?" For concerning Avishag the Shunamite it is written (Melachim I 1:4) “to be a סוכנת ["covering"] for the king” which means to warm him [by lying with him].