Commentaire de citation sur Le Deutéronome 28:66

THEN HIS WIFE SHALL GO OUT WITH HIM. Rashi commented: “But who brought her in, that Scripture need say that she shall go out with him? But [by saying this], Scripture tells us that he who acquires a Hebrew servant is obliged to provide for the food of his wife and children.” This is a Midrash of the Sages.³⁴Mechilta on the Verse here. Now [even though the children are not mentioned in this verse, but only his wife,] the Rabbis have included the children together with the wife in this duty of the master, on the basis of what is written further on, Then he shall go out from thee, he and his children with him.³⁵Leviticus 25:41.
I am not clear on this law as to whether the earnings of the woman and children belong to the master during the time he is supporting them. It appears to me that the master takes the place of the husband [in this respect]. For the Torah had compassion on the wife and children, whose lives are hanging in suspense,³⁶See Deuteronomy 28:66. and who expect [to be supported from] the husband’s earnings, since now that he is sold as a servant, they are in danger of being lost in their misery. Therefore the Torah commanded the master who is now entitled to the servant’s labor, to act towards them as he [the servant] would. If so, the master only has to assume the responsibilities of the husband, [and no more]; thus he is entitled to their labor as is the husband, and in return he must feed and support them. This is the meaning of the expression, then his wife shall go out with him, since the servant’s wife was together with him as a handmaid to his master, for the labor of both of them belongs to him, in return for which he is obliged to give them food. Thus the only difference between husband and wife is that the wife has a right to go away as she pleases, [and is not bound to work for her husband’s master if she does not want to be supported by him, whilst the husband, who is the servant, is bound to the master]. Similarly, the master’s obligation to support the children is limited to the time that the father is responsible for them, namely when they are minors, or as long as is customary to feed them, as Rashi explained in Tractate Kiddushin.³⁷Kiddushin 22a. See my Hebrew commentary p. 413. All this is out of G-d’s compassion for them [the wife and children], and for the servant as well so that he should not die in his anguish, in the knowledge that whilst he is toiling in a strange house, his children and wife are neglected. Now even though he is not obliged by law of the Torah to support them, as has been explained in the Talmud, Tractate Kethuboth,³⁸Kethuboth 49 a-b. but since it is the normal way of life for a man to support his wife and small children, G-d in His mercies commanded the buyer [of the servant] to act to them as a merciful father. The meaning of the Sages in speaking of banav [literally: “his sons”] is both sons and daughters.
I have seen written in the Mechilta:³⁴Mechilta on the Verse here. “I might think that the master is obliged to support the betrothed [of the servant] and the childless widow of his brother who is waiting for him to marry or reject her? Scripture therefore says, his wife, thus excluding the brother’s childless widow who is waiting for him, since she is not yet his wife. With him, this excludes the betrothed who, [even though she is his wife], is not yet with him.” This Mechilta is a proof to the law which I have stated, for since it is not customary for the betrothed and the childless brother’s widow to be supported by the man [in this case the servant], therefore the Torah did not impose their support upon the master either. And even if the brother-in-law or the bridegroom became liable by law at a certain time known in the Talmud³⁹According to a first [i.e., an older] Mishnah, if after such time as the law allows for the preparation of the wedding, the bridegroom postponed it, he is liable to support her, and she may eat from his goods, so that if she is an Israelite’s daughter and betrothed to a priest, she may eat terumah (the heave-offering) as if she was already his wife. A later Mishnah though, ruled that a woman may not eat heave-offering until she has entered the bride-chamber (Kethuboth 57 b). to support them, that obligation was in the nature of other debts they may have, and therefore the master did not become liable to support them.
Again I have found in another Mechilta of Rabbi Shimon:⁴⁰In Hoffman’s edition, p. 120. — See Vol. I, p. 603, Note 245, for explanation of the term “another.” “If he be married then his wife shall go out with him. Just as the master is obliged to feed the servant, so he is obliged to feed his wife and children. Still I might say: if the servant had a wife and children before he was bought, then his master is obliged to feed them, because he bought him on that condition, but if he had a wife and children only after he was bought I might think that his master is not obliged to feed them. Scripture therefore says, if he be married⁴¹Literally: “if he be the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him.” The word “wife” is thus mentioned twice, once to indicate etc. (see text). etc. There are thus two wives mentioned here, one referring to a wife that he had before his master bought him, and the other referring to a wife he had after he was bought. I might think that even if he had just a betrothed wife, or a childless brother’s widow who is waiting for him, whom the servant himself is not obliged to feed, that nonetheless his master is obliged to support them, and proof for that argument I might find in the fact that the husband himself is not obliged [by law of the Torah, as explained above] to feed his own wife and children, and yet, the master of the servant is obliged to feed the wife and children of his servant; Scripture therefore says, then his wife shall go out with him — that wife who is with him, the master is obliged to feed, but he is not bound to feed a wife who is not with him. I might think that even if the servant’s wife was one with whom it is not correct for him to continue living — such as a widow married to a High Priest, or a divorcee or profaned woman married to a common priest⁴²See Leviticus 21:7;14. — [that the master is bound to feed her]; Scripture therefore says, then his wife shall go out with him — one that is fit to live with him, but not this one etc. I might think that even if he married without the master’s knowledge [the master is obliged to feed her]; Scripture therefore says, if ‘he’ be married — just as ‘he’ was acquired with the master’s knowledge, so his wife [whom the master must support] means one taken with the master’s knowledge. I might think that the earnings of his sons and daughters belong to the master, and it is logical that it be so: for if we see in the case of a Canaanite bondman, whose master is not bound to feed him, that nonetheless the earnings of his sons and daughters belong to the master, then surely it is logical that in the case of a Hebrew servant, whose master is obliged to feed him, that the earnings of his sons and daughters should belong to his master! Scripture therefore says: he (if ‘he’ be married) — it is he whose earnings belong to his master, but not those of his sons and daughters. Then his wife shall go out with him — do not separate him from his wife; do not separate him from his children.” Thus far the language of this Beraitha.⁴³See Seder Bo, Note 209.
Yet I continue to say⁴⁴In spite of the fact that this Beraitha apparently contradicts what Ramban said above — namely, that during the time of the Hebrew servant’s servitude the earnings of his wife and minor children belong to his master, since he is obliged to feed them, whereas here the Beraitha seems to be saying the opposite — “Yet I continue to say” writes Ramban, “as I have written above etc.” as I have written above, that if the servant’s wife and children want to be supported by the master, that he may take their earnings, and this Beraitha quoted above intends only to tell us that they are not his by absolute right, as is the law of the Canaanite bondman, or as is the law of the Hebrew servant himself, [who must of necessity work for their master], but they [the wife and children of the Hebrew servant] can say to him: “We will not be fed by you, and we will not work for you.” What is new in this Beraitha is that if the servant married without the consent of his master, he is not bound to feed the wife or her children, for since it is within the power of his master to give him a Canaanite bondmaid, he is not obliged to feed this Israelite woman. The Rabbis further interpreted the word imo (with him) to teach us that you are not to separate him from his wife and children, which means to say that the master cannot tell him: “Be together with the handmaid I gave you and sleep with her at night, and not with the Israelite wife,” but the servant has the right to choose for himself.

FLOUR. Flour, as opposed to wheat or bread. The mishna does not require that one have wheat, which one stores for a long time. On the other hand, the mishna is not satisfied with bread, which lasts only a day or a week, concerning which the Talmud expounds: “ ‘And your life will hang in doubt’—this refers to one who relies on the shopkeeper” (Menachot 103b). The mishna recommends the middle path of flour. This lasts several days, and can be used to make both bread and other baked goods—Midrash Shmuel in the name of Lev Avot.

HA’TZLATZAL.’ In the opinion of Rashi this is one of the species of the locust. But if so, it would have been proper for him [Moses] to connect it with the verses where he speaks of the locust⁹⁵Verse 38. and the worm!⁹⁶Verse 39. It appears more likely that the word tz’latzal is a term for “a hostile army.” He is thus stating, Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be thine⁹⁷Verse 41. to work for you and be a nourisher of thine old age,⁹⁸Ruth 4:15. for they shall go into captivity⁹⁷Verse 41. before the enemy. And he states, All thy trees and the fruit of thy soil⁹⁹In Verse 42 before us. which will not bear fruits for you, as he mentioned¹⁰⁰Verses 38-39. — the enemy coming upon you will take possession, for in the year during which the enemy will come upon you, [the trees and fields] will yield them their produce and they will eat it. Now, an army is called tz’latzal [from the term tzeltzal — “cymbal”] because of the noise of war in the camp¹⁰¹Exodus 32:17. which they cause and the voice of the horn,¹⁰²Job 39:24. the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.¹⁰³Ibid., Verse 25. [The word tz’latzal is thus] from the word ‘tziltzelei shama’ (loud-sounding cymbals) and ‘tziltzelei t’ruah’ (clanging cymbals);¹⁰⁴Psalms 150:5. and with rattles¹⁰⁵A musical instrument, a form of metal rattle. ‘uv’tzeltzelim’ (and with cymbals).¹⁰⁶II Samuel 6:5. Similarly, the expression, Ah, land of ‘tziltzal’ of wings¹⁰⁷Isaiah 18:1. means a land [i.e., a people] that causes “the sound of its wings” be heard as it goes to far off places as the vulture swoopeth down.¹⁰⁸Further, Verse 49. And in the Gemara we find:¹⁰⁹Baba Kamma 116b. “[The Mishnah states: ‘If a man took illegal possession of a field] and masikin took it from him.’ The scholar that reads the word as masikin is not in error, for it is written yeyaresh ha’tzlatzal¹¹⁰In Verse 42 before us. which we translate [in Onkelos’ rendition] ‘yachs’nine saka’ah’ (the ‘locust’ will take possession). And the scholar that reads the word as matzikin is also not in error, for it is written in the siege ‘uvmatzok’ (and in the straitness),”¹¹¹Verse 53. for the word [saka’ah which is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew tz’latzal] was to the Sages the term for those who bring people in the siege and in the straitness¹¹¹Verse 53. [and is thus also an expression for a hostile army, and not as Rashi says that it is a species of the locust].
Know that the admonitions concerning scantiness, discomfiture, rebuke,¹¹²Above, Verse 20. pestilence,¹¹³Ibid., Verse 21. trees, and the fruit of the soil¹¹⁰In Verse 42 before us. and all the other admonitions will all endure until He will cause you to vanish from the Land whither thou goest in to possess it.¹¹⁴Further, Verse 63. But after the exile [will have taken place] he does not imprecate them except by saying, and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.¹¹⁵Above, Verse 36. At times, however, he reverts to reprove them while still in the Land, as he said, The Eternal will bring thee, and thy king whom thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation that thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers; and there thou shalt serve other gods,¹¹⁵Above, Verse 36. this being a reference to the exile in which we were expatriated to Rome because of the journey there of King Agrippa¹¹⁶See Vol. I, p. 568. [the last king during the period of the Second Temple who made a covenant with Rome].¹¹⁷See Vol. III, pp. 471-472, Notes 148-149. Afterwards he [Moses] reverts and says, Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field etc.¹¹⁸Above, Verse 38. Now, these admonitions [apply] while they are in the Land, for so he states afterwards, and ye shall be plucked from off the Land¹¹⁴Further, Verse 63. which is a reference to the exile. In my opinion this, too, is part of Moses’ intimations. He states, The Eternal will bring thee, and thy king whom thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation that thou hast not known¹¹⁵Above, Verse 36. which alludes to King Agrippa’s journey to Rome. It is also possible that he alludes to another king, preceding Agrippa, namely Aristobulus¹¹⁹Aristobulus, the younger son of King Jannai and the brother of Hyrcanus II, fought the Romans during the siege of Jerusalem. When the city finally fell before Pompey, Aristobulus was taken to Rome in chains. whom the Roman general [Pompey] captured and brought there [to Rome] in fetters of brass. They [the captives] became a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples¹²⁰Verse 37. who were so amazed at their historic strength [and nevertheless such a calamity befell them that the viewers said], How are the mighty fallen, and their weapons of war perished!¹²¹II Samuel 1:27. Afterwards¹²²I.e., a long time afterwards Pompey conquered the city of Jerusalem in the year 63, before the Common Era, while the Agrippa referred to here was the last king of Judea before the destruction of the Second Temple, which took place in the year 70, Common Era. This Agrippa was known as Agrippa II. His father Agrippa I was a righteous king and is often spoken of favorably by the Sages. His policy was to strengthen the position of the Jews. This was not true of Agrippa II who, as the following text shows, assisted the Romans in their conquest of the Land resulting in the destruction of the Temple, and the exile. Agrippa [II] came once again with the emissary of the king of Rome into the Land and captured very large cities in the land of Judea. Then was fulfilled what he [Moses] said, And thou shalt serve thine enemy whom the Eternal shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst etc.¹²³Verse 48. It further states, The Eternal will bring a nation against thee from afar,¹²⁴Verse 49. for, Vespasian and his son Titus came with a very large Roman army into the Land and captured all the fortified cities of Judea, and oppressed them greatly, as is known from the [history] books that they also captured the walls of Jerusalem and there remained only the Sanctuary and the wall of the Court. They [the besieged] ate the flesh of their sons and their daughters.¹²⁵See Verse 53. And when the Sanctuary was also captured, then was fulfilled and ye shall be plucked from off the Land.¹¹⁴Further, Verse 63. Then the Romans returned to their country taking with them the exile of Jerusalem, as did the many [foreign] peoples, too, who were with them [i.e., the Romans] — from Greece, Egypt, Syria and many other peoples [who had joined the Romans in the destruction of Jerusalem and who took Israelite captives with them]. Then was fulfilled the verse, And the Eternal shall scatter thee among all peoples etc.¹²⁶Verse 64. The verses after that, all refer to their punishment in exile. So also, And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee¹²⁷Verse 66. applies to our fear in exile under peoples who constantly promulgate decrees against us. The correct interpretation is that this verse alludes to those generations that existed at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple, for the Romans were then scheming to destroy the Jews completely. Therefore he says afterwards, And the Eternal shall bring thee back into Egypt in ships,¹²⁸In the beginning of the P’sichta (Opening) to Esther Rabbathi. which happened when [the Romans] finished removing them from the Land. And our Rabbis have said:¹²⁸In the beginning of the P’sichta (Opening) to Esther Rabbathi. “Why [was it decreed that they be brought back into] Egypt? Because it is offensive and evil for a servant when he returns to his first master.” If so, he mentioned Egypt as a reproof. However, once we have been exiled to the countries of our enemies, the work of our hands has not been accursed. Neither have our oxen and the breeds of our flock, our vineyards and our olive orchards and that which we have sown in the field [been adversely affected]. Rather in the countries [of our exile] we are like the rest of the peoples who inhabit whatever country, or even better than them,¹²⁹An obvious reference to the favorable condition of Jews in Spain. for His mercies are upon us, because our habitations in exile are by [virtue of] the promise He made to us, And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break My covenant with them; for I am the Eternal their G-d.¹³⁰Leviticus 26:44. I have already explained in Seder Im Bechukothai¹³¹Ibid., Verse 16 (at the end). the secret of this covenant [mentioned here], and that it refers to the present time of our exile at the hand of the “fourth beast,”¹³²In Daniel’s vision concerning the four kingdoms that will rule the world, the fourth beast symbolizes Rome. See Daniel 7:7; also Vol. I, p. 35., Note 8, and Vol. IV, pp. 286-290. and afterwards He assured us of being [completely] redeemed therefrom.
Now, we have examined the punishments for idolatry which are mentioned in the Torah in many places, among them what is stated at the beginning [of this book]: When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have been long in the Land, and shall deal corruptly, and make a graven image etc.,¹³³Above, 4:25. this being a warning to Israel lest they worship idols after being in the Land for many years and having grown old in it. The punishment for that is, I call heaven and earth to witness etc.¹³⁴Ibid., Verse 26. until And the Eternal shall scatter you among the peoples, and ye shall be left few in number.¹³⁵Ibid., Verse 27. And there it is stated, And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands,¹³⁶Ibid., Verse 28. and he promised, But from thence ye will seek the Eternal thy G-d, and thou shalt find Him etc.¹³⁷Ibid., Verse 29. This has been fulfilled with them [in the Babylonian exile] as I have already mentioned and explained.¹³¹Ibid., Verse 16 (at the end). And in another chapter he said, And it shall be, when the Eternal thy G-d shall bring thee into the Land which He swore unto thy fathers etc.;¹³⁸Ibid., 6:10. Ye shall not go after other gods of the peoples that are round about you.¹³⁹Ibid., Verse 14. And the punishment is, for a jealous G-d, even the Eternal thy G-d, is in the midst of thee; lest the anger of the Eternal thy G-d be kindled against thee, and He destroy thee from off the face of the earth.¹⁴⁰Ibid., Verse 15. This is a warning to those who enter the Land lest they immediately become attached to idolatry and forget the G-d Who brought them forth from Egypt and walk after the idols. This Israel never did, nor did this punishment ever take place. The language of the verse implies this — that it is a warning, not a suggestion of something destined to be, as he said, lest the anger of the Eternal thy G-d be kindled against thee,¹⁴⁰Ibid., Verse 15. that is to say, you should be fearful of this. In a third chapter he stated Beware lest thou forget the Eternal thy G-d, in not keeping His commandments, and His ordinances, and His statutes etc.,¹⁴¹Ibid., 8:11. and he said, and thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Eternal thy G-d, Who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt etc.; Who led thee through the great and dreadful wilderness etc.,¹⁴²Ibid., Verses 14-15. and so throughout the section. And thou say in thy heart: ‘My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth.’ But thou shalt remember the Eternal thy G-d, for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth.¹⁴³Ibid., Verses 17-18. And here [i.e., in this third chapter] he said, And it shall be, if thou shalt forget the Eternal thy G-d, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I forewarn you this day etc.¹⁴⁴Ibid., Verse 19. This is also a warning to those entering the Land lest they forget the Glorious Name¹⁴⁵Further, Verse 58. and deny that it was He Who brought them forth from the land of Egypt and [lest they claim that] He did nothing for them, but that they did everything by their own power because they were strong and therefore they will worship the idols as they please. The punishment for this would be complete destruction: As the nations that the Eternal causeth to perish before you, so shall ye perish.¹⁴⁶Above, 8:20. The language of the verse indicates that he is warning them lest they do so when they enter the Land before they grow old in it, before they destroy all the peoples of the Land. Therefore he said, As the nations that the Eternal causeth to perish before you, so shall ye perish,¹⁴⁶Above, 8:20. which applied to the time when the peoples [of the Land] were destroyed, and he warned them that G-d would turn His hand from the destruction of these peoples and He would destroy Israel like them. This, too, Israel never did, and nothing like it came upon them. The fourth time he warned and explained, saying, And it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Eternal thy G-d, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes etc. that all these curses shall come upon thee etc.¹⁴⁷Verse 15 (here). and all the words of the covenant [which follow], and in the end there is the great promise: And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee etc., and thou shalt bethink thyself etc., and shalt return unto the Eternal thy G-d etc., that then the Eternal thy G-d will restore thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee,¹⁴⁸Further, 30:1-3. and so on to the conclusion of the section. Now, this is the warning and allusion to this our [present] exile and to the perfect redemption by which we will be redeemed therefrom. And the fifth chapter is a warning by way of a prophecy to be fulfilled: And the Eternal said unto Moses: ‘Behold, thou art about to sleep with thy fathers, and this people will rise up …¹⁴⁹Ibid., 31:16. [Now therefore write ye this Song for you …] that this Song shall testify before them as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed etc.’¹⁵⁰Ibid., Verses 19 and 21. This warning has been wholly fulfilled in its literal sense and wider meaning.