שְׁגִיא֥וֹת מִֽי־יָבִ֑ין מִֽנִּסְתָּר֥וֹת נַקֵּֽנִי׃
Siapakah yang dapat memahami kekhilafan-kekhilafan? Bersihkanlah aku dari kesalahan-kesalahan yang tersembunyi dariku.
Rabbeinu Bahya
Know that mention of the tetragrammaton, i.e. Hashem, for the first time is not an attribute but a reference to the very essence of the Lord. The second time this word appears it is used as an attribute, i.e. the invoking of the attribute of Mercy when the sinner has not previously confessed his sin and has repented it. G’d is appealed to as our father, someone who naturally extends his mercy to his children; just as the father is aware of his children’s needs, so G’d, our collective father, is aware of our needs. Such a father will not wait until his son asks for what he needs but will supply it even without being asked to do so. G’d therefore responds to the needs of even the wicked sinner as he too is one of His children. G’d employs this attribute even in His dealings with idolaters as we know from Sanhedrin 39 where G’d is telling the angels to suppress their songs of praise at a time when His creatures are drowning in the sea. He grieves over the need to exact this kind of retribution from them. In fact, G’d’s Mercy extends even to the animals as we know from Psalms 36,7: “Man and beast You deliver, O Lord.
The attribute אל is the one dealing with forgiveness in response to the sinner’s request. This is what is meant in Psalms 99,8 אל נושא היית להם, “You have been a forgiving G’d for them.”
The attributes רחום וחנון are two attributes applied in response to requests for forgiveness when such forgiveness is granted in connection with the sinner experiencing afflictions and having repented properly. We find that these terms always appear in connection with afflictions such as in Deut. 4,31 כי אל רחום ה’ אלו-היך לא ירפך ולא ישחיתך, “for Hashem, your G’d is a merciful G’d He will not abandon you nor destroy you.” The expression השחתה is found in connection with afflictions such as in Isaiah 52,14 כן משחת איש מאיש מראהו, “so his appearance is like that of a man who has suffered afflictions.” An even more outspoken verse describing the connection between afflictions and השחתה is Job 33,24 ויחננו ויאמר פדעהו מרדת שחת מצאתי, “then He has mercy on him and decrees: “redeem him from descending to the pit.”
The attribute known as ארך אפים applies to both the righteous as well as to the habitual sinners. Moses said to G’d concerning the application of this attribute: ”You have to forgive the people on account of Your having told me that this is one of Your attributes, i.e. to hold back with venting Your anger.” “You explained to me that the reason for calling it ארך אפים instead of ארך אף means that even the sinners qualify for the application to them of this attribute.” Moreover, Moses added, assuming that the people concerned have already used up this attribute, ‘You are also רב חסד, abundant in kindness, a fallback position for people who have exhausted their claim against You on the basis of Your being ארך אפים.’ Moses reminded G’d that as long as the Torah had not been given, during the first 26 generations of man’s existence on earth, You fed them due to Your attribute of רב חסד. If You were to say that the very absence of the Torah was a factor in Your applying the attribute of רב חסד, because they did not violate any of its commandments, Moses said that due to G’d’s attribute of חסד i.e. an attribute of undeserved kindness known as “true kindness,” He would still have to extend forgiveness to the sinners. If even that nuance of the attribute of Mercy would not suffice to obtain forgiveness for a sin (such as that of the golden calf) then the next fallback position would be the nuance called נוצר חסד לאלפים, “preserver of kindness for thousands of generations,” i.e. what is popularly known as zechut avot, the accumulated and unexpired portion of the merits of the patriarchs. In the event that G’d were to reply that even this aspect of the attribute of Mercy had already been exhausted by the people (compare Shabbat 55), Moses would appeal to the nuance described here as נושא עון, G’d’s attribute of being “a forgiver of iniquity,” a reference to sins committed knowingly. The word פשע which follows the attribute of נושא עון, refers to sins committed with the express intent of asserting man’s independence vis-a-vis legislation perceived as decreed by G’d. The word וחטאה is applicable to sins committed erroneously, unwittingly. Finally, the word ונקה, refers to sins one did not even find out one had committed, sins for which one cannot ask forgiveness as they cannot be spelled out, be confessed. This is what David had in mind when he appealed to G’d (Psalms 19,13) מנסתרות נקני “cleanse me from the guilt I bear for hidden sins, sins unbeknown to me.”
Actually, logic dictates that the sequence of the last few categories of sins which are subject to G’d’s attribute of Mercy should have been חטאה, עון, פשעi.e. if G’d invokes forgiveness for sins committed as an act of rebellion the Torah surely did not have to tell us that He forgives sins committed unintentionally! Our sages in addressing this problem (Yuma 36) explained the existing sequence by saying that Moses prayed that the intentional sins be raised to the level of unintentional sins which are easier to forgive. This is the reason why the word וחטאה appears at the end of that sequence. Another reason for the inverted sequence is the fact hat the sin of the golden calf began as something relatively harmless, i.e. unintentional, as I have explained on 32,4. Moses did not want to mention the need to forgive unintentional sins first, as he then would have drawn attention to the sin of the golden calf specifically.
The attribute אל is the one dealing with forgiveness in response to the sinner’s request. This is what is meant in Psalms 99,8 אל נושא היית להם, “You have been a forgiving G’d for them.”
The attributes רחום וחנון are two attributes applied in response to requests for forgiveness when such forgiveness is granted in connection with the sinner experiencing afflictions and having repented properly. We find that these terms always appear in connection with afflictions such as in Deut. 4,31 כי אל רחום ה’ אלו-היך לא ירפך ולא ישחיתך, “for Hashem, your G’d is a merciful G’d He will not abandon you nor destroy you.” The expression השחתה is found in connection with afflictions such as in Isaiah 52,14 כן משחת איש מאיש מראהו, “so his appearance is like that of a man who has suffered afflictions.” An even more outspoken verse describing the connection between afflictions and השחתה is Job 33,24 ויחננו ויאמר פדעהו מרדת שחת מצאתי, “then He has mercy on him and decrees: “redeem him from descending to the pit.”
The attribute known as ארך אפים applies to both the righteous as well as to the habitual sinners. Moses said to G’d concerning the application of this attribute: ”You have to forgive the people on account of Your having told me that this is one of Your attributes, i.e. to hold back with venting Your anger.” “You explained to me that the reason for calling it ארך אפים instead of ארך אף means that even the sinners qualify for the application to them of this attribute.” Moreover, Moses added, assuming that the people concerned have already used up this attribute, ‘You are also רב חסד, abundant in kindness, a fallback position for people who have exhausted their claim against You on the basis of Your being ארך אפים.’ Moses reminded G’d that as long as the Torah had not been given, during the first 26 generations of man’s existence on earth, You fed them due to Your attribute of רב חסד. If You were to say that the very absence of the Torah was a factor in Your applying the attribute of רב חסד, because they did not violate any of its commandments, Moses said that due to G’d’s attribute of חסד i.e. an attribute of undeserved kindness known as “true kindness,” He would still have to extend forgiveness to the sinners. If even that nuance of the attribute of Mercy would not suffice to obtain forgiveness for a sin (such as that of the golden calf) then the next fallback position would be the nuance called נוצר חסד לאלפים, “preserver of kindness for thousands of generations,” i.e. what is popularly known as zechut avot, the accumulated and unexpired portion of the merits of the patriarchs. In the event that G’d were to reply that even this aspect of the attribute of Mercy had already been exhausted by the people (compare Shabbat 55), Moses would appeal to the nuance described here as נושא עון, G’d’s attribute of being “a forgiver of iniquity,” a reference to sins committed knowingly. The word פשע which follows the attribute of נושא עון, refers to sins committed with the express intent of asserting man’s independence vis-a-vis legislation perceived as decreed by G’d. The word וחטאה is applicable to sins committed erroneously, unwittingly. Finally, the word ונקה, refers to sins one did not even find out one had committed, sins for which one cannot ask forgiveness as they cannot be spelled out, be confessed. This is what David had in mind when he appealed to G’d (Psalms 19,13) מנסתרות נקני “cleanse me from the guilt I bear for hidden sins, sins unbeknown to me.”
Actually, logic dictates that the sequence of the last few categories of sins which are subject to G’d’s attribute of Mercy should have been חטאה, עון, פשעi.e. if G’d invokes forgiveness for sins committed as an act of rebellion the Torah surely did not have to tell us that He forgives sins committed unintentionally! Our sages in addressing this problem (Yuma 36) explained the existing sequence by saying that Moses prayed that the intentional sins be raised to the level of unintentional sins which are easier to forgive. This is the reason why the word וחטאה appears at the end of that sequence. Another reason for the inverted sequence is the fact hat the sin of the golden calf began as something relatively harmless, i.e. unintentional, as I have explained on 32,4. Moses did not want to mention the need to forgive unintentional sins first, as he then would have drawn attention to the sin of the golden calf specifically.
Radak
Because of my watchful foes: – That they may not be able to rejoice over me through my stumbling, make straight Thy way before my face. And my watchful foes (שׁררי) – is the equivalent of “my enemies,” and is derived from (the verb) “I spy him (אשׁורנו), but not nigh” (Num. 24:17), because he is looking for evil, as (in the verse) “Saul eyed David” (1 Sam. 18:9). And this prayer is that He (God) should deliver him from faults and from deliberate sins, as he says (in the verses Ps. 19:13, 14): “Clear me from hidden (faults); moreover, from deliberate sins restrain Thy servant.”
Ramban
AND THOU SAIDST: I WILL SURELY DO THEE GOOD. Even though he was afraid lest the sin cause him to lose that which he was promised, Jacob said: “You have done great kindnesses for me even though I was unworthy of them. Certainly You will do for me this undeserved kindness which You have promised me, namely, that You will bestow good upon me and increase my seed. My sin should not withhold from me the good You have promised me, for in the beginning I was also unworthy of it had You marked against me mine iniquities.35See Psalms 130:3. And You did not promise it to me on account of my deeds, but only out of Your abundant mercies.”
And some commentators say36Ibn Ezra. Thus Jacob’s fear was not lest his sin cause him to lose that which he was promised, but because he did not know, etc., as explained in the text. that Jacob had compassion for his children and household lest Esau smite them, because he did not know whether the promise, And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth,37Above, 28:14. applied to these or to others, it being possible that he himself would escape and have additional children. But in my opinion this is not correct, for if this was his thought, how did he say in his prayer, And Thou saidst: I will surely do thee good and make thy seed as the sand of the sea? Moreover, it was told to him in Beth-el, And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and I will bring thee back into this land.26Above, 28:15. If his children were to fall before his brother’s sword, this promise would not be fulfilled, and it is to this promise that Jacob alluded when he said, And Thou saidst: I will surely do thee good. Similarly with the promise, And I will do thee good:28Verse 10 here. all this Jacob said on the basis of it having been said to him, And I will be with thee.27Ibid., 31:3. But all his misgivings were on account of the fear of sin, for it is the way of the righteous to be always fearful. Thus Jacob was fearful that perhaps even after he left Haran, he sinned by entering into a covenant with Laban, who was an idol-worshipper, or in some other matter, and Who can discern errors?38Psalms 19:13.
And some commentators say36Ibn Ezra. Thus Jacob’s fear was not lest his sin cause him to lose that which he was promised, but because he did not know, etc., as explained in the text. that Jacob had compassion for his children and household lest Esau smite them, because he did not know whether the promise, And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth,37Above, 28:14. applied to these or to others, it being possible that he himself would escape and have additional children. But in my opinion this is not correct, for if this was his thought, how did he say in his prayer, And Thou saidst: I will surely do thee good and make thy seed as the sand of the sea? Moreover, it was told to him in Beth-el, And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and I will bring thee back into this land.26Above, 28:15. If his children were to fall before his brother’s sword, this promise would not be fulfilled, and it is to this promise that Jacob alluded when he said, And Thou saidst: I will surely do thee good. Similarly with the promise, And I will do thee good:28Verse 10 here. all this Jacob said on the basis of it having been said to him, And I will be with thee.27Ibid., 31:3. But all his misgivings were on account of the fear of sin, for it is the way of the righteous to be always fearful. Thus Jacob was fearful that perhaps even after he left Haran, he sinned by entering into a covenant with Laban, who was an idol-worshipper, or in some other matter, and Who can discern errors?38Psalms 19:13.