Midrash sur Le Deutéronome 6:8

And ten thousand at thy right hand. R. Isaac propounded the following question: Why does the verse state ten thousand at thy right hand and only one thousand at thy left? Because, said he, the left hand does not require as many angels as the right, since the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is inscribed upon the tefillin (phylactery) which is wrapped around the left hand, as is said: And thou shalt bind them as a sign upon thy hand (Deut. 6:8). R. Hanina the son of R. Abahu explained: It is not written “will be at thy right hand” but may fall at thy right hand. That is so because the left hand, which is not stretched out as frequently in the performance of good deeds as the right hand, is capable of bringing about the downfall of only a thousand demons, while the right hand, which is constantly stretched out in the performance of good deeds, is able to bring about the fall of ten thousand demons. Therefore it is written: For he will give his angels charge over thee.

“Who is that ascending from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother was in travail with you; there she who bore you was in travail” (Song of Songs 8:5).
“Who is that ascending from the wilderness” – [Israel’s] ascent was from the wilderness, its decline was from the wilderness, and its death was from the wilderness. That is what it says: “In this wilderness they will expire, and there they will die” (Numbers 14:35). “Leaning [mitrapeket] upon her beloved” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because it will resolve sections of the Torah and issues of kingdom in the future.⁵Mitrapeket when rearranged is a portmanteau of matir perek – resolves a section. In the future, Israel will resolve all questions relating to Torah, and will reestablish its monarchy. “Under the apple tree I roused you” – Pelatyon of Rome expounded and said: Mount Sinai was detached and positioned in the supernal heavens, and Israel was situated beneath it, as it is stated: “You approached and stood beneath the mountain” (Deuteronomy 4:11).
Another matter: “Under the apple tree I roused you” – this is Sinai. Why is it likened to an apple tree? Just as the apple tree produces fruit in the month of Sivan, so too, the Torah was given in Sivan. Alternatively, “under the apple tree I roused you” – why not a nut tree or a different tree? Each tree typically grows its leaves first and then its fruit, but the apple tree grows its fruit first and then grows its leaves. Similarly, Israel put performing before hearing, as it is stated: “We will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).⁶Although translated here as “heed,” the term nishma can be translated “hear.” The point here is that Israel committed to following God’s commands even before hearing what they were. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If you accept My Torah upon yourself, fine, but if not, I will lower this mountain upon you and kill you.’ “There your mother was in travail with you” – was it there that she was in travail? Rabbi Berekhya said: This is analogous to one who went to a dangerous place and was saved. His friend encountered him and said to him: ‘Did you pass through that dangerous place? How much danger you experienced! It is as though you were now borne by your mother. How much suffering you experienced! Now it is as though you were created as a new creation.’
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: “There [your mother] was in travail [ḥibela]” and there she had collateral taken from her [ḥubela]; “was in travail” – at the moment that they said: “Everything that the Lord spoke we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). She had collateral taken from her – at the moment that they said to the calf: “This is your God, Israel” (Exodus 32:4), they had collateral taken. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The weapon that was given to Israel at Ḥorev had the ineffable name etched upon it.⁷This is stated in explanation of the adornment mentioned in the verse: “The children of Israel were stripped of their adornment from Mount Ḥorev” (Exodus 33:6). When they sinned it was taken from them. Rabbi Aivu and the Rabbis: Rabbi Aivu said: It was peeled on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it. Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: Wretched is the bride who sins under the wedding canopy. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They lost the good counsel that was given them at Sinai, as it is stated: “You hollowed all my counsel” (Proverbs 1:25), and counsel is nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “Counsel and resourcefulness are mine” (Proverbs 8:14).
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: It is written: “At Ḥorev you provoked [hiktzaftem] the Lord” (Deuteronomy 9:8). The Holy One blessed be He said: I came to bless you and found your palate pierced and unable to hold a blessing, as it is stated: “Moses saw the people that it was parua (Exodus 32:25), and parua means nothing other than hollowed, just as you say: “You hollowed [vatifre’u] all my counsel” (Proverbs 1:25). Rabbi Levi said: You made the Holy One blessed be He as though He was mourning over you. There are places that call the house of mourning the house of wrath [beit ketzofa].

Another matter: “Place me as a seal [upon your heart]” – Rabbi Berekhya said: This is the reciting of Shema, as it is stated: “These matters…shall be upon your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6). “As a seal upon your arm” – these are phylacteries, just as it says: “You shall bind them as a sign upon your arm” (Deuteronomy 6:8).
Rabbi Meir said: “Place me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm” – like Yehoyakhin. As Rabbi Meir said: The Holy One blessed be He took an oath that He would sever the kingdom of the House of David from him. That is what is written: “As I live, the utterance of the Lord, for if Konya son of Yehoyakim,⁸Konya was another name of Yehoyakhin. king of Judah, would be a signet ring upon My right hand, then from there I would sever you [etkenka]” (Jeremiah 22:24). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: From there I would sever the kingdom of the House of David. Alternatively, it is not written here anatekkha, but rather, “etkenka”;⁹The expression “I would sever you” is not written with the more common Hebrew term anatekkha, but rather with the word etkenka. This word can also be vocalized atakenkha, which means I will rectify you. I will rectify you [atakenkha] with repentance. From the place of your severance, there will be your rectification.
Rabbi Ze’eira said: I heard the voice of Rabbi Yitzḥak as he was sitting and expounding this matter, but I do not know what it was.¹⁰I heard him state the aforementioned teaching regarding Yehoyakhin, but I do not know how he derived it. Rabbi Aḥa Arikha said to him: They say that this is it: It is written: “Write this man childless, a man who will not succeed in his days” (Jeremiah 22:30). In his days he will not be successful, but in the days of his son he will be successful, as it is written: “On that day, the utterance of the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubavel son of She’altiel, My servant, the utterance of the Lord, and I will place you like a signet…” (Hagai 2:23).
Rabbi Aḥa bar Rabbi Avun bar Binyamin said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa son of Rav Pappi: Great is the power of repentance, as it nullifies the decree and nullifies the oath. Nullifies the decree, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Write this man childless, [a man who will not succeed in his days, sitting upon the throne of David and ruling any more in Judah]” (Jeremiah 22:30), and it is written: “On that day, the utterance of the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubavel son of She’altiel, My servant, the utterance of the Lord, and I will place you like a signet; for I have chosen you, the utterance of the Lord of hosts]” (Hagai 2:23). Nullifies the oath, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “As I live, the utterance of the Lord, for if Konya son of Yehoyakim, king of Judah, would be a signet ring upon My right hand, [then from there I would sever you]” (Jeremiah 22:24). And it is written: “The sons of Yekhonya:¹¹Yekhonya is another name for Yehoyakhin. Asir, She’altiel his son…” (I Chronicles 3:17).¹²The passage continues by listing Zerubavel, who became governor of Judah, as a descendant of Yekhonya (verse 19). Thus, the oath to end the royal line with Yekhonya was nullified.
Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Yirmeya said: Asir, because he was incarcerated in prison;¹³The word asir means prisoner. Yekhonya was imprisoned, and some say that Asir was conceived or even born in prison (see Radak, I Chronicles 3:17). She’altiel, because the kingdom of the House of David was replanted [hushtela] from him. Alternatively, Asir, as the Holy One blessed be He prohibited [asar] Himself by means of an oath;¹⁴He took an oath that He would not grant Yekhonya children. She’altiel, because He requested [shaal] from the supernal court and they dissolved His vow.

Rabbi Banna'ah opened <his discourse> (with Prov. 11:1): FRAUDULENT SCALES ARE AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD….³⁴Tanh., Deut. 6:8; PRK 3:4; Ruth R. 1:2; cf. PR 13:5. If you see a generation whose measures are false, know that the empire will engage that generation in battle. What is the evidence? It is written (ibid.): FRAUDLENT SCALES ARE AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD…. What is written after that (in vs. 2): WHEN DELIBERATE WICKEDNESS COMES, DISGRACE COMES AS WELL.

"upon your hand": This is the left hand. You say this, but perhaps it is the right? Though there is no proof for this, it is intimated in (Isaiah 48:3) "My hand has also founded on earth, and My right hand has spanned the heavens," and (Judges 5:26) "Her hand reached for the tent pin, her right for the workmen's hammer," indicating that "hand," unqualified, is the left hand. R. Yonathan says (Devarim 6:8-9) "and you shall tie them … and you shall write them": Just as the writing (of the mezuzah) is with the right hand, so, the tying of the tefillin (on the left hand). Abba Yossi says: We find the right to be called "hand," and even though there is no proof (for its application here), it is intimated in (Genesis 48:17) "that his father placed his right hand." And what is the intent of "upon your hand"? To include an amputee (of the left hand), that his tefillin are placed on his right arm.

"That the Torah of the Lord be in thy mouth" -- to exclude women [from tefillin]. What is exemplary about tefillin? They are a positive time-triggered commandment from which women are exempt. So too, are women exempt from all positive time-triggered commandments.

And ten thousand at thy right hand. Why does it say a thousand at thy left hand, and ten thousand at thy right hand? The left hand does not require as many angels, because the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is inscribed on the phylactery which is placed on the left hand, as it is said: Ye shall bind them for a sign upon thy hand (Deut. 11:18).

(Devarim 6:8) "And you shall bind them (as a sign upon your hand"): These (Shema, Vehaya im shamoa, Kadesh li and Vehaya ki yeviacha) are (included) in (the mitzvah of) "binding," but Vayomer (i.e., the mitzvah of tzitzith) is not included in "binding." For it would follow a fortiori (that it is included in "binding"), viz.: If Kadesh li and Vehaya ki yeviacha, which are not included in "repetition," are included in "binding," then Vayomer, which is included in "repetition," how much more so should it be included in "binding"! It is, therefore, written "And you shall bind them" — These are included in "binding," but Vayomer is not included in "binding."