Midrash su Deuteronomio 27:13

We are taught in a Baraitha that R. Eliezer b. Jacob says: "It is impossible to say that the tribe of Levites was standing below the mountain, for there is another passage which states that they (the Levites) were upon the mountain; and again it is impossible to say that they were upon the mountain, since there is another passage which asserts that they were standing below the mountain. How are both facts possible? We must therefore say that the elders of the priesthood and of the Levites were below the mountain, but the rest [the younger element of it] were upon the mountain." R. Joshua says: "This means, whoever was capable of doing Levitical services [between thirty and fifty years] were below the mountain, but the rest were upon the mountain." Rabbi, however, says: "Both, the Israelites and the Levites stood below the mountain. Turning their faces towards Mt. Gerizim, they began with the blessings. Afterwards [they turned their faces] towards Mt. Ebal, and began the curses, and the word Al used in the text (Deut. 27, 13) does not mean upon, but nearby." You maintain that the word Al means nearby, perhaps it means upon? But since we find another passage (Ex. 40, 3) And thou shall separate the ark with the veil, where the word, Al is used, for nearby, hence here also does the word Al mean nearby.

19 (Numb. 23:7) “So he took up his theme and said, ‘From Aram, Balak the king of Moab has brought me, from the hills of the east.’” I was one of the exalted ones,³¹Ramim. The midrash links this word with ARAM in Numb. 23:7. but Balak has brought me down to the pit of corruption. (Ibid.) “Brought me (yanheni, rt.: nhh),” [is to be understood] just as you say (in Ezek. 32:18), “bring (rt.: nhh) the masses of Egypt [and cast them down [… unto the lowest part of the netherworld along with those who go down to the pit].”³²Thus Numb. 23:7 comes to mean that Balak BROUGHT (rt.: NHH) Balaam down to the grave. The unusual Biblical translation is necessary to fit the sense of the midrash. Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:7), “From Aram”: I was with the highest (ram) of the high, and Balak has brought me down from my glory. [The matter] is comparable to one who was walking with the king. When he saw [some] robbers,³³Gk.: lestai. he left the king and toured along with the robbers. When he returned to be with the king, the king said to him, “Go with whomever you have toured with, because it not possible for you to walk with me again.” Similarly Balaam had been bound to the holy spirit. When he paired himself with Balak, the holy spirit departed from him. So he returned to being a diviner as in the beginning. Thus it is stated (at his execution in Josh. 13:22), “Balaam ben Beor the diviner….” Therefore did he yell out, “I was high up (ram), and Balak brought me down.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:7), “From Aram, he has brought me”: [Balaam] said to [Balak], “We are alike, even both of us, for being ungrateful, because were it not for their father Abraham, there would have been no Balak. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 19:29), ‘And it came to pass that when God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot away.’ Except for Abraham, he would not have delivered Lot from Sodom; and you are one of the children of the children of Lot.³⁴As a Moabite, Balak was descended from Moab, the son of Lot. See Gen. 19:37. Moreover, if it were not for their father Jacob, I should not have been present in the world, because Laban had sons only through the merit of Jacob, since it is written at the beginning (in Gen. 29:9), ‘Rachel came with the sheep.’ Now if he had sons, how was his daughter a shepherdess? As soon as Jacob came there, sons were given to him, as stated (in Gen. 31:1), ‘Now he heard the things that Laban's sons [were saying].’³⁵Jewish tradition gives three views on Balaam’s relation to Laban: That he was Laban himself, that he was Laban’s nephew, and that he was Laban’s grandson. See Ginzberg, vol. III, p. 354; vol.. V, p. 303, n. 229; vol. VI, pp. 123f., nn. 722f.; p. 130, n. 764. And it also says [that Laban said] (in Gen. 30:27), ‘I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.’” (Numb. 23:7, cont.) “Come, curse Jacob for me”: Whoever curses [the Children of Jacob] is cursing himself, since it is stated (in Gen. 12:3), “and the one who curses you, I will curse.” It also says (in Gen. 27:29), “cursed be those who curse you.” (Numb. 23:7) “Come, curse [Jacob] for me […].” If you had told me to curse another people, for example, the Children of Abraham and Isaac, I would have been able [to do so]. But Jacob? When a king selects a portion for himself, and someone else gets up and speaks disparagingly about it, will he keep his life? Now these people are the Holy One, blessed be He’s, heritage, His portion, and His treasure. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 32:9), “For the Lord's share is His people; Jacob the portion of His heritage.” And it is written (in Exod. 19:5), “and you shall be My treasure.” (Numb. 23:7, cont.) “And come, denounce Israel:” When a king takes a crown and puts it on his head, and someone says of it that it is nothing, will he keep his life? Now in regard to these people it is written about them (in Is. 49:3), “Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” (Numb. 23:8) “How shall I curse [the one] whom God has not cursed”: When they deserved to be cursed, they were not cursed: When Jacob went in to receive the blessings, he went it with deception. As it is written (in Gen. 27:16), “[Then she clothed his arms and the hairless part of his neck] with the skins of goat kids.” His father said to him (in Gen. 27:18), “Who are you?” He said to him (in vs. 19), “I am Esau, your first-born.” Does not the one who puts forth a lie with his mouth deserve to be cursed? Yet not only [was he not cursed], but he was blessed; as stated (in Gen. 27:33), “he shall also be blessed.” So how do I curse them? (In the words of Numb. 23:8) “God has not cursed.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” According to universal custom, when a legion³⁶Lat.: legio. rebels against the king, it incurs the penalty of death. Now since these denied and revolted against Him, when they said [about the calf] (in Exod. 32:4), “This is your god, O Israel,” was it not necessary to have Him destroy them at that time? [Still] He did not cease to cherish them. Instead He had clouds of glory accompany them. Nor did He withhold the manna and the well from them. And so it says (in Exod. 32:4), “When they made a molten calf,” (in Neh. 9:18-20), “You in Your great mercies did not abandon them in the desert […]; and You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth […].” How can I curse them? (Numb. 23:8) “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed” When He commanded them concerning the blessings and the curses, He mentioned them (as the people) in connection with the blessings where it is stated (in Deut. 27:12), “These shall stand [on Mount Gerizim] for blessing the people;” but He did not mention them in connection with the curses. Thus it is stated (in vs. 13), “And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse.” Moreover, when they sin and He plans to bring a curse upon them, it is not written that He Himself is bringing them (i.e., the curses); but with respect to the blessings, He Himself is blessing them; for so it says (in Deut. 28:1, 8), “And it shall come to pass that, if you diligently obey […], the Lord your God will set you high [over all the nations of the earth]. The Lord will command the blessing to be with you.” But with respect to the curses, it is written (according to Deut. 28:15), “And it shall come to pass that, if you do not obey […], then [all these curses] shall come upon you,” [i.e.,] of their own accord. Ergo (in Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” (Numb. 23:9) “For from the top of the rocks I see him,” in order to make the hatred of that evil man (i.e., Balaam) known to you. As from his blessing you may know his thoughts. To what is he comparable? To someone who came to chop down a tree. One who is not an expert chops off the branches one at a time and becomes tired, but the clever one exposes the roots and [then] chops it down. Similarly that wicked man said, “Why shall I curse each and every tribe? Rather I will go to their roots.” When he came to touch them, he found them hard [to cut]. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 23:9), “For from the top of the rocks I see him.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:9): “For from the top of the rocks,” these are the patriarchs; (ibid., cont.) “and from the hills I behold him,” these are the matriarchs. (Numb. 23:9, cont.) “Here is a people dwelling alone”: When He makes them rejoice, no nation rejoices along with them. But when the nations are rejoicing in this world, they (i.e., the Children of Israel) eat with each and every kingdom, and no one is charging [such pleasures] against their account (rt: hshb).³⁷In other words the pleasures that Israel enjoys in this world are not to be deducted from their pleasures in the world to come. It is so stated (in Numb. 23:9, cont.), “and they shall not be reckoned (rt.: hshb) among the nations.” (Numb. 23:10) “Who has counted the dust of Jacob”: Who is able to count the commandments which they carry out upon the dust: (In Deut. 22:10,) “You shall not plow with an ox and an ass”; (in Deut. 22:9,) “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed”; (in Numb. 19:9,) “Then someone clean shall gather the ashes of the heifer”; (in Numb. 5:17,) “[Then the high priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel] and some of the dust which is on the floor of the tabernacle”; (in Lev. 19:23,) “[Moreover, when you come into the land and plant any tree for food, you shall count its fruit as forbidden,] three years it shall be forbidden to you, [it shall not be eaten]”; and so on with all of them. (Numb. 23:10, cont.) “Or numbered the sand (rb') of Israel,” [i.e.,] their copulations (rt.: rb')³⁸For this interpretation, cf. Nid. 31a. Who can number the masses³⁹Gk.: ochloi. that have emerged from them, from those women who seize on and cherish the commandments (of procreation), as stated (in Gen. 30:15), “But she said to her, ‘Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband?’” [And so too (in Gen. 30:3, 9),] “Here is my maid Bilhah; go into her.” “When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, [she took her maidservant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife].” [And so too (in Gen. 16:3),] “So Abraham's wife Sarai took her maidservant Hagar the Egyptian… [and gave her to her husband Abraham as a wife].” (Numb. 23:10, cont.) “Let me die the death of the upright”: The matter is comparable to a butcher who came to slaughter a cow that belonged to a king. The king began to take notice. When [the butcher] realized [what was happening], he began by discarding the knife, then giving [the cow] a rubdown [and] filling the feeding trough for it. He began to say, “Let my life be forfeit for coming to slaughter it; but observe that I have [now given it sustenance].” Similarly Balaam said, “Let my life be forfeit for coming to curse, but I will bless [them].” Ergo (in Numb. 23:10), “let me die the death of the upright!” (Numb. 23:14) “So he took him to the Field of Zophim at the top of Pisgah”: He saw that [Israel would be] breached there, for it was there that Moses died, as stated (in Deut. 3:27), “Go up to the top of Pisgah …, [for you shall not cross over this Jordan].” Is there a breach greater than this? What he saw was through divinations, and he was of the opinion that because of him they would fall there.

(Jud. 9:23:) THEN GOD SENT AN EVIL SPIRIT < BETWEEN ABIMELECH AND THE CITIZENS OF SHECHEM >. Also at the end < of the story > it is written (in vs. 57): AND UPON THEM CAME THE CURSE OF JOTHAM BEN JERUBBAAL. What is written there (in vs. 7)? BUT, WHEN THEY TOLD JOTHAM (about the Shechemites making Abimelech their king), [HE WENT AND STOOD AT THE TOP OF MOUNT GERIZIM]. Now why did he stand at the top of Mount Gerizim for cursing, when (according to Deut. 27:13-26) they only gave curses on Mount Ebal? It is simply that Jotham said this: The Samaritans are going to say: Mount Gerizim is ours because there were the blessings given; but they will not know that curses are given there. How is that? It is simply this: The ones who were standing on Mount Ebal and cursing, at whom were they cursing? Was it not at those who were standing opposite them (on Gerizim)? The ones who were blessing, at whom were they blessing? Was it not at those who were opposite them (on Ebal)? It turns out that the curses come upon Mount Gerizim, and the blessings, upon Mount Ebal. For that reason, Jotham said: I am standing only on Mount Gerizim when cursing my brother and the people of Shechem. He began by saying (in Jud. 9:8): THE TREES WENT < TO ANOINT A KING OVER THEMSELVES >…. R. Meshe said: These words that Jotham spoke are a parable. How? THE TREES WENT. These are Israel. (Jud. 9:8, cont.:) AND THEY SAID TO THE OLIVE TREE. This is Othniel ben Kenaz, in that he was from the tribe of Judah (cf. Jud. 1:13; 3:9-11). Thus it is stated (about Judah in Jer. 11:16): < THE LORD HAS CALLED YOUR NAME > A GREEN OLIVE TREE, < FAIR WITH GOOD FRUIT >. Now what did Othniel say to them (in Jud. 9:9)? SHOULD I LEAVE MY FATNESS? Olive oil is pure. They came to Deborah (according to Jud. 9:10): AND [THE TREES] SAID TO THE FIG TREE: < YOU COME AND REIGN OVER US >. This refers to Deborah. She said to them (in vs. 11): SHOULD I LEAVE MY SWEETNESS? (Cf. Jud. 5:1:) THEN DEBORAH SANG. (Jud. 9:12:) THEN THE TREES SAID TO THE VINE: < YOU COME AND REIGN OVER US >. It said to them (in vs. 13): SHOULD I LEAVE MY NEW WINE? TO THE VINE (in vs. 12) refers to Barak and Gideon (according to Jud. 8:22): RULE OVER US, YOU, < YOUR SON, AND YOUR SON'S SON AS WELL >. He said to them (in vs. 23): I WILL NOT RULE. When they saw this, (according to vs. 14:) THEN ALL THE TREES SAID UNTO THE BRAMBLE: < YOU COME AND REIGN OVER US >. This refers to Abimelech. Just as this bramble is full of thorns, so was Abimelech full of evil deeds. When they invited him to reign, what did he say to them (in vs. 2): AND REMEMBER THAT I AM YOUR BONE AND YOUR FLESH. So the Holy Spirit cries out (in Prov. 29:26): MANY SEEK AUDIENCE FROM A RULER, < BUT IT IS FROM THE LORD THAT ONE RECEIVES JUSTICE >. What did the bramble say to them (in Jud. 9:15)? COME AND TAKE REFUGE IN MY SHADE. Is it not better for you to make me alone king rather than seventy? Immediately (according to Jud. 11:11): AND [THE PEOPLE] SET HIM OVER THEM.¹⁰⁸The passage concerns the elders of Gilead and Jephthah, not the Shechemites and Abimelech. Jotham said to them (in Jud. 9:16 or 19, also vs. 20): IF < YOU HAVE ACTED > TRULY < AND UPRIGHTLY…. BUT IF NOT, LET FIRE COME FORTH FROM ABIMELECH AND DEVOUR THE PEOPLE OF SHECHEM >…. Then it written (in vs. 57): AND UPON THEM CAME THE CURSE OF JOTHAM. When? (In Jud. 9:23:) THEN GOD SENT AN EVIL SPIRIT < BETWEEN ABIMELECH AND THE CITIZENS OF SHECHEM >. Blessed are those who are righteous; for wherever they go, the Holy One preserves them; and they are recognized among the nations. Thus it is stated (in Is. 61:9): AND THEIR SEED IS KNOWN AMONG THE NATIONS.