Commento su Deuteronomio 33:5

ויהי AND HE WAS — i.e. the Holy One, blessed be He, was

AND THERE WAS A KING IN JESHURUN. This alludes to the aforementioned Name [in Verse 2: ‘The Eternal’ came from Sinai], Who was King over Israel when they were upright and all the heads of the people and all tribes of Israel were gathered together. Now this verse, too, is connected [with the above theme — the Revelation at Sinai], and the sense thereof is that Israel will always say: “The Torah which Moses commanded us will forever be an inheritance to the entire congregation of Jacob. We shall never alter it or change it.” And they will further say that “G-d became King over Israel when our leaders, our elders, our judges and all tribes of Israel gathered, for we all, together, accepted His reign upon ourselves for all generations, and we are obligated to keep His Law and [acknowledge] His Kingdom forever.” This commandment is the precept of I am the Eternal thy G-d,⁶³Exodus 20:2 (see Vol. II, p. 286). and it constitutes “the acknowledgment of the Kingdom of Heaven,”⁶⁴Berachoth 13b. as I have explained there.⁶³Exodus 20:2 (see Vol. II, p. 286). Thus he mentioned the Torah in general, and the Kingdom of Heaven in partizcular, for whoever acknowledges the Kingdom of Heaven denies the idols and acknowledges the entire Torah.⁶⁵Mechilta, Bachodesh 6. The people thus intimated that they and their leaders accepted [the commandment to acknowledge] the Kingdom of Heaven [directly] from the mouth of the Almighty⁶⁶This is a reference to the statement of the Rabbis that Israel heard the first two commandments directly from the Almighty (Makkoth 24). and saw that He is King of Israel and his Redeemer. They accepted the Torah from the mouth of Moses for they took upon them, and upon their seed⁶⁷Esther 9:27. to believe in him and to do whatever he commands in behalf of the King, just as they said [to Moses], and thou shalt speak unto us all that the Eternal our G-d may speak unto thee, and we will hear it, and do it.⁶⁸Above, 5:24.
This interpretation of the verse is clear and well founded. It accords with the rendering of the Rabbis in the Gemara of Tractate Rosh Hashanah:⁶⁹Rosh Hashanah 32b. The text refers to the law that, as part of the Additional Service of the New Year, ten verses from Scripture are recited on each of these three topics: The Sovereignty of G-d, Remembrances, and Shofar. Now, each unit of ten verses is composed of three verses from the Pentateuch, three from the Prophets, three from the Writings, with one concluding verse from the Pentateuch. On these four verses from the Pentateuch concerning the Sovereignty of G-d the Rabbis in the Gemara asked: “But only three verses referring to Sovereignty etc.” “But only three verses referring to Sovereignty [of G-d] are found [in the Five Books of Moses]! The Eternal shall reign for ever and ever;⁷⁰Exodus 15:18. The Eternal his G-d is with him, and the ‘t’ruah’ (shouting) for the King is among them;⁷¹Numbers 23:21. And there was a King in Jeshurun.”⁷²“And we need four verses referring to [G-d’s] Sovereignty [in order to complete the ten-verse unit]!” Ramban does not cite the Talmud’s answer because he cited the passage merely to prove that “the King” in this verse refers to G-d, the King on high. The Gemara’s answer is that the verse Hear, O Israel: The Eternal our G-d, the Eternal is One (above 6:4) is also a statement of Sovereignty even though the word “King” is not mentioned. In our Additional Service on the New Year this is indeed the verse we cite as the concluding expression of G-d’s Sovereignty. We have also been taught so in the Sifre:⁷³Sifre, Brachah 347. “When the elders [of Israel] sit in council on earth, His Great Name is praised on high, as it is said, And there was a King in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together. The term ‘gathering’ applies only to the elders, as it is said, Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel.⁷⁴Numbers 11:16. All the tribes of Israel together — when there is but one brotherhood [then there is a King in Israel] but not when they become numerous factions. And so it is also said, It is He that buildeth His upper chambers in the heaven, [and hath founded His band upon the earth].⁷⁵Amos 9:6. “When does He build His upper chambers in heaven? At the time when His band is founded upon the earth” (Rabbeinu Bachya). In other words, when there is unity in Israel then G-d’s Kingdom becomes firmly established. And in the Midrash Rabbah⁷⁶Bamidmar Rabbah 15:14. they also stated, ‘His throne is firmly set, as it were, on high, when Israel is formed into a single association; therefore it is stated, It is He that buildeth His upper chambers in the heaven, and hath founded His band upon the earth.’⁷⁵Amos 9:6. “When does He build His upper chambers in heaven? At the time when His band is founded upon the earth” (Rabbeinu Bachya). In other words, when there is unity in Israel then G-d’s Kingdom becomes firmly established. And there was a King in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, etc.” This also accords with the manner in which I have explained, for the Rabbis interpreted: there was a King over them because they were gathered and all of them together took His Kingdom upon themselves, and so shall it be an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. “The King” [mentioned in the verse] is thus the Holy One, blessed be He, and so it is our custom to recite [this verse: And there was a King in Jeshurun etc.] in the New Year’s [Additional] Prayers composed by Rav⁷⁷Yerushalmi Rosh Hashanah I,30. — Rav, see above, p. 39, Note 246. [as one of the verses of His Sovereignty].
However, in some Agadoth [homilies] they explain the term “king” with reference to Moses. Thus they say:⁷⁸Shemoth Rabbah 48:8. Vayikra Rabbah 32:2. “Moses was king, for it is said, And there was a king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered.” And if so, Scripture is stating: “Moses commanded us a Law⁷⁹Verse 4. that it be an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob,⁷⁹Verse 4. and he was king over us and all our tribes together, and it behooves us to obey his words and his commandments for he was a great and wise king over us.” Scripture also tells in honor of the emissary [Moses] that he was great and trustworthy. The correct and true interpretation is what we have explained [above]. Thus he mentions that G-d dwells in Israel, and that they — all their tribes together — accepted His Torah and His reign upon themselves and upon their seed for [all] their generations. If so, they are worthy of blessing.

ויהי בישורון מלך, since that occasion G’d became “King” in Israel among all those who study Torah more than superficially.

ויהי בישרון מלך, He became king in Yeshurun. This verse means that in order for a king to become legally crowned in Israel he must be approved by a popular assembly including the heads of the people. This rule is spelled out in a Tossephta Sanhedrin 83 that only the Supreme Court of 71 judges is authorised to appoint a king. Moses referred to this rule when he mentioned the "heads of the people." When he added יחד שבטי ישראל, he referred to a national assembly of the people approving of such a choice.

ויהי בישורון מלך, “He became King over Yeshurun;, etc.” Nachmanides writes that the word ישורון is an allusion to the holy name of Hashem Who was indeed King in Israel as long as the Jewish people were loyal to Him and His Torah. The verse is a continuation of the previous verse and describes when all the leaders of the people gathered themselves and the whole nation. The Israelites, when they accepted the Torah, meant that it was everyone’s Torah, not a Book aimed at the elite of the people only. As such it is aptly termed a “national heritage, מורשה.” It will never be exchanged, even in the sense of being “updated.” Acceptance of עול מלכות שמים, “the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, by definition means that it is forever, not subject to change. Moses has to reiterate all this, seeing that the people, at their own request, had received all the laws except for the first two of the Ten Commandments from Moses whom they had appointed to be their trusted intermediary. Some commentators say that the subject of ויהי בישורון מלך is not G’d, but Moses; He had been accepted and hailed as such at the assembly of all the people including the elders who had heard the Torah explained by Moses directly, having heard it from his own mouth. Moses had commanded that henceforth this Torah was to be considered as a national heritage of all the people forever more. Seeing that Moses was so outstanding and illustrious, it was appropriate that the Torah he had brought to the people should be embraced with the greatest respect. A third view holds that the words ויהי בישורון מלך refer to the Torah, i.e. that the Torah should rule over Israel like a king, enjoy the same respect and awe. “Yeshurun”, in all these interpretations, is a complimentary term for the people of Israel.

The yoke of His sovereignty rests always upon them. Rashi is answering the question: Is the Holy One’s sovereignty only over Yisroel? His sovereignty is over everything! Rashi therefore explains “the yoke of His sovereignty, etc.” that although He is certainly king over the nations, however they do not accept upon themselves His sovereignty like Yisroel does. The explanation [of Rashi’s statement is]: Because Yisroel is always subservient before Him to fulfill all the commandments that He decreed on them.

V. 5. ויהי בישרון מלך. Die תורה, das Gesetz ward in Jeschurun König. Es allein ist das Herrschende, Gebietende und Regierende in Israel, stand ja selbst der spätere König unter ihm und sollte nur sein erster mustergültiger Untertan sein. Durch die Herrschaft der תורה soll Israel ישורון werden, dem Ideal seiner sittlichen Bestimmung entsprechend, daher: בישרון. Obgleich auf תורה sich beziehend, hat ויהי das Geschlecht des Prädikats מלך erhalten und ist das Maskulinum bei dem erzählenden היה ohnehin gebräuchlich, ויהי ברבת ד׳ (Bereschit 39, 5), כי יהיה נערה בתולה (Dewarim 22, 23) und sonst.

ויהי בישורון מלך בהתאסף ראשי עם, “and there was a king in Jeshurun when the heads of the people were gathered.” When the Jewish people are truly united and relate to one another as true brothers, then G–d is truly King over them. When they quarrel among themselves then G–d cannot truly be seen as being their King.

ויהי, “he became,” i.e. Moses; בישורון מלך בהתאסף ראשי עם, “King in Yeshurun, when the leaders of the people assembled.” This was recorded in Deuteronomy 4,10: באמור ה' אלי הקהל את העם ואשמיעם את דברי, when the Lord said to me: “assemble the people so that I can let them hear My words.”It is up to us to keep the Torah which He commanded us, and after having accepted it, it became a source of blessing for us.

בישרון מלך KING IN JESHURUN — constantly was the yoke of His sovereignty upon them at all times.

בהתאסף ראשי עם, at the time of the giving of the Torah, when, according to Deut. 5,19, all the elders and leaders of the people are described as approaching Moses, telling him (verse 20) that G’d had shown them His glory,

At every gathering. “Of the counting” — the counting of their gathering, etc. I.e., they deserve a blessing. Rashi explains, how does the word ראש relates to counting? Therefore he explains that ראשי means the same as in “When you take count (ראש).” The verse is saying: Whenever they gather for a counting it is in Your honor and [at such times too] they accept the yoke of Your sovereignty upon themselves.

Another meaning of this verse is connected to Proverbs 8,6: "I speak of lofty things," a reference to Torah's rule. The words: "when the heads of the people assemble," mean that when the people request that a king be appointed such a king may be appointed in addition to the Torah. This is precisely what happened during the lifetime of the prophet Samuel. We read in Samuel I 8,5 that all the elders of the people assembled, approached Samuel and said to him: "seeing that you have aged and your sons do not follow in your footsteps, please appoint over us a king to judge us like all the other nations." Unless such a situation exists the Torah is supposed to be the only authority ruling over Israel. This is part of what Samuel replied (Samuel I 8,12) "and the Lord your G'd is your king." The king he referred to was the Torah.

בהתאסף וגו׳, indem zur תורה sich die Häupter des Volkes sammelten, fanden darin Israels Stämme ihre Vereinigung. Das Gesetz bildet das einzige wirkliche Einheitsband der jüdischen Stämme. Indem alle Volkesleitung sich dem Gesetze anschließt und unterordnet, wird die Vereinigung des Volkes mit dem Gesetze zugleich das Einigungsband unter einander, und in diesem Anteil aller an dem höchsten Nationalgute erhält zugleich ein jeder seine völlig gleichwertige Stellung in der Nation.

בהתאסף When there gathered the head (בהתאסף ראשי), i.e., the total number (the whole) of their assembly.

יחד שבטי ישראל, G’d had thus become King over all the tribes of Israel at one and the same time as they all accepted His status as being their supreme authority. The words which the people used to express this acceptance were:ואת תדבר אלינו את כל אשר ידבר ה' אלוקינו אליך ושמענו ועשינו, “and you say to us all that the Lord our G’d will say to you, and we will hear it and do it.” (Deut.5,24)

These are worthy of my blessing. [Thus] this [verse] is connected to what comes afterwards, as if it said, Because of this, may Reuvein live, etc. [According to this interpretation], There was a king in Yeshurun is connected to what precedes it, The Torah which Moshe commanded us, etc. [As Rashi writes], We have embraced it, and we shall not forsake it, etc.,” and the Holy One, the yoke of His sovereignty rests always upon them.

Perhaps Moses alluded to this when he employed the word ויהי which always signifies something regrettable. We are told that Samuel was deeply grieved by the people's request for a king and that G'd had to tell him that this request reflected a rejection of Him as king even more than a rejection of the prophet as their leader (Samuel I 8,7). Moses prophesied concerning this situation when he used the word ויהי at the beginning of our verse.

ראשי — The word ראשי has the same meaning as (Exodus 30:12) “When you take the count (רֹאשׁ) of the children of Israel”. Consequently they are worthy that I should bless them (and so I shall now begin the blessing: May Reuben live, etc.). — Another explanation of בהתאסף: When they assemble together in one band and there is peace between them, only then is He their King, but not when there is dissension among them (Sifrei Devarim 346:1).

Another interpretation: “When they gathered, etc.” [According to this interpretation], the statement There was a king in Yeshurun is connected with at the gathering, etc., [and is not a continuation of the previous verse]. And this is more correct. But according to the alternative interpretation you might ask why the verse mentions the word ראשי [now translated as heads]. Therefore he also gives the first interpretation.

Our verse also hints that the kingdom of Israel will endure only if the heads of the people assemble together (keep the peace amongst themselves) not if the leaders of the people are split. If the leaders are split, the tribes themselves will not be able to maintain their unity. A look at Jewish history shows that as long as the people were united under David and Solomon the king and the nation were extremely successful, whereas as soon as a split developed the fortunes of the Jewish people took a turn for the worse.