Commentaire de citation sur Ézéchiel 20:33

מלכיות וזכרונות ושופרות של פורענות- such as (Ezekiel 20:33): “[As I live -declares the Lord GOD ] – I will reign over you with a strong hand…”; (Psalms 78:39): “For he remembered that they were but flesh…,” (Hosea 5:8): “Sound a ram’s horn in Gibeah…” and others similar to them. For remembrance is an individual [matter], such as (Nehemiah 5:19): “O my God, remember to my credit [all that I have done for this people!” Even though it is for good, we don’t mention it. And such is the Halakha.

Another reason why the Torah attributes non-observance of the social laws to such strong feelings on the part of the sinner may reflect a statement in the Sefer Hayashar by Rabbenu Tam chapter 9 who views an attitude such as described here as reflecting a diseased psyche and body. Berachot 61 describes this as saying that the wicked are judged by their evil passions. This is the reason the Torah writes לבלתי עשות את כל מצותי, such people object to doing anything which G'd has said merely because G'd has said it. Finally, the words להפרכם את בריתי are the Torah's reference to Satan's ultimate challenge when he asks his victim to commit a provocative act against G'd justifying it by promising his victim that he then will have to face only a single penalty namely the one for that ultimate act of rebellion. The Torah goes on record that the prospective sinner should not be deceived but that he would be held culpable for all his transgressions. We also have this spelled out in Ezekiel 25,8 and Ezekiel 20,33 respectively. Satan had argued that the same rules which apply to mankind at large also apply to Yehudah (25,8), whereas the prophet threatens Israel in the name of G'd that it will be treated with G'd's full retributive arm (20,33).

You may recall that the sages of Israel had to write to King Talmai that the meaning of the words חלק להם אשר (compare the quote of Deut. 4,19. 4,19) does not mean that they have the powers of deities but that their function is merely to provide light (compare Megillah 9). This was a warning to the Gentiles not to be misled into paganism through the wording of the Torah. [King Talmai of Egypt third century B.C. forced 72 Jewish scholars to translate the Torah while sitting in separate cubicles each unable to consult with the other. According to tradition they miraculously rendered the Torah into Greek using exactly the same words. Ed.] The word חלק could otherwise have been understood by Talmai and other Gentiles as meaning that G’d “engaged in power-sharing” with such heavenly bodies as the sun the moon and the stars. The fact is, however, that G’d did give the Gentiles the choice to either serve Him or to serve what they perceived to be deities. This did not, however, mean that He ever agreed that these phenomena were deities or had separate, independent powers. The Jewish people were not given such a choice at all. Proof that this is so is found in Ezekiel 20,33 where the prophet had debated this issue with Jews who had felt abandoned by G’d in exile claiming their “Master” had sold them, i.e. “freed them from the obligation to serve Him.” Ezekiel threatened them saying חי אני נאום ה’ אלוקים אם לא ביד חזקה ובזרוע נטויה ובחמה שפוכה אמלוך עליכם .“As I live, says the Lord G’d, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured fury will I rule over you.”

והבאתי אתם AND I SHALL BRING THEM [INTO THE LAND OF THEIR ENEMIES] — I Myself shall bring them; this is a kindly measure for Israel in order that they should not say, “Since we are banished among the nations let us do like their doings”. “For”, says God “I will not suffer them to do this, but I will raise up My prophets and so bring them back under My wings, as it is said, (Ezekiel 20:30) “And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, — [that ye say, We will be as the heathens, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone]. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm and with fury poured out, will “I” be king over you etc.” (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 8 5).

אני ה׳ אלהיכם I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD — Why is this stated again? In order that the Israelites should not say, “Why has the Omnipresent said it ('אני ה)? Is it not in order that we should perform the commandments and receive reward (cf. Rashi on previous verse)!? We will not perform them and we shall not receive (we shall not expect) any reward!” Therefore it states again in general terms and without reference to the Exodus from Egypt, “I will be the Lord your God: in spite of yourselves I will be your King (I will exercise My sovereignty upon you). — In a similar sense it states, (Ezekiel 20:23) “Surely with a strong hand … will I reign over you” (Sifrei Bamidbar 115:1). — Another explanation: Why is the exodus from Egypt mentioned in connection with the fringes? In order to intimate: It was I who distinguished in Egypt between one who was a firstborn and one who was not (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 19:36); I shall also find out and exact punishment from him who attaches indigo-dyed wool (which resembles תכלת in colour) on his garments and pretends that it is תכלת (Bava Metzia 61b). From the work of Rabbi Moses the Preacher I copy the following: Why is the section speaking of the stick-gatherer placed in juxtaposition with the section (vv. 22—31) dealing with idolatry? In order to tell you that whoever desecrates the Sabbath is regarded as having worshipped idols, for it (the law of the Sabbath) also is alone of equal importance with the entire sum of the commandments (just as is the law of idolatry; cf. Rashi on v. 22). And so, too, it is said in the Book of Ezra, (Nehemia 9:13—14) “And Thou camest down upon Mount Sinai and gavest to Thy people … the Torah and commandments and Thou madest known unto them Thy holy Sabbath”. And the section dealing with the “Zizith” is also for the same reason placed in juxtaposition with these two sections, because it, too, is of equal importance with the sum total of the commandments, as it is said, (v. 40) “[That ye may remember] and do all My commandments".