Musar su Deuteronomio 33:27

והיה עקב תשמעון . In the previous paragraph (7,7) the Torah explained that G–d's love for the Jewish people is not based on our superior numbers, seeing that we are "small," numerically speaking. The Talmud Chulin 89a states in the name of Rabbi Eliezer that the meaning of this verse is that G–d likes the Jewish people because even when they are riding high (economically) they still humble themselves, i.e. they behave as if they were מעט מכל העמים, the least significant of all nations. Abraham, for instance, described himself as: אנכי עפר ואפר, "I am but dust and ashes" (Genesis 18,27). Moses and Aaron (Exodus 16,7) said of themselves: ונחנו מה, "What do we amount to?" David described himself as: ואנכי תולעת ולא איש "I am only a worm, not a man" (Psalms 22,7). On the other hand, the "great" men among the Gentile nations did not react in this fashion to the greatness I (G–d) have bestowed upon them. I have given greatness to Nimrod; he responded by building a Tower in order to assert himself against Me. I gave greatness to Pharaoh; he responded by claiming "Who is the Lord that I should listen to Him?" (Exodus 5,2). I made Sancheriv a mighty ruler and he reacted by saying: "Who among the gods of all these lands has saved them from me that you should imagine that the Lord will save you from me?" (Kings II 18,35). Similar expressions of arrogance are recorded as having been used by Chirom the king of Tzor, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and others. Rava or Rabbi Yochanan are reported to have said that the continued existence of the universe would not have been permitted had it not been for Moses and Aaron and people of their caliber, all of whom said of themselves: "what do we amount to?" It is interesting that G–d is described in Job 26,7 as תולה ארץ על בלימה, "suspending earth over merely מה" (hardly something), a reference to Moses and Aaron who had described themselves as נחנו מה. Rabbi lla'i, also on folio 89 Chulin, suggests the meaning of the verse in Job to be that the earth will be allowed to survive for the sake of people who בולם את עצמם, "put the brakes on their ego" at times of strife. Rabbi Abahu, on the other hand, says that he who considers himself as if he did not exist is the "salt of the earth." He uses Deut. 3,27: ומתחת זרועות עולם, in the sense of "he who is trampled by the world is the real 'arms' supporting the universe." Rabbi Yitzchak derives this same message from Psalms 58,2: האמנם אלם צדק תדברון מישרים תשפטו בני אדם. He understands this verse to mean that maintaining a silent (אלם) profile and speaking out only in matters of צדק, i.e. Torah, is what keeps the world going.

This also explains a very strange statement on this portion in Bereshit Rabba 68,9. Rabbi Hunna in the name of Rabbi Ami is quoted as saying that the reason the name of G–d is מקום, Place, is that He is the "Place" of the world and the world is not His "place." Rabbi Yitzchak comments by citing Deut. 33,27: מעונה אלוקי קדם, "Eternal G–d is a dwelling place." He asks: "Do we not know that G–d is the "place" of the world and not vice versa from the verse in Psalms 90,1: אדנ-י מעון אתה היית לנו, "O Lord You have been our place of refuge?" How then can the Torah describe the world as being His place?" Rabbi Aba son of Yudan answers by comparing G–d to a knight riding a horse. The rider's equipment surrounds him from all sides. In such a situation the horse is incidental to the knight -and not vice versa. This is proved in scripture by Chabakuk 3,8: "When You are riding on Your steed." Thus far the Midrash.

When we speak about the מעון, the phenomenon discussed in Deut. 33,27, we have to remember that a Divine Presence in our world is a requirement of G–d in His Heavenly Domain, just as the performance of sacrificial service by the Jewish people on the altar in this world is something that adds stature to G–d in His Celestial Regions. We have already explained at length that good deeds performed in this world help to repair the damage caused to the entire universe when Adam sinned. When G–d is "blessed" through such deeds, Israel or mankind in turn will be blessed.