신명기 32:55의 주석

האזינו השמים HEAR YE HEAVENS that I warn Israel, and be ye witnesses to this matter; for so I have told them that ye will be witnesses (cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 31:28). Similar is the meaning of ותשמע הארץ (i.e. the verb has the force of an imperative: AND LET THE EARTH HEAR). And why did He call heaven and earth as witnesses against them? Moses thought: “I am a being of flesh and blood (mortal); tomorrow I shall be dead. If the Israelites will once say, ‘We have never accepted the covenant’, who can come and refute them?” Therefore he called heaven and earth as witnesses against them — witnesses that endure forever (Sifrei Devarim 306:15). And a further reason was that if they should act worthily, the witnesses might come and give them their reward: the vine might yield its fruit, the ground give its increase, the heaven bestow its dew; while if they should act sinfully, the hand of the witnesses might first be against them (Rashi uses a phrase similar to that used of human witnesses; cf. e.g. Deuteronomy 13:10): “and He will restrain the heaven, that there be no rain, and the earth will not give its increase; and you shall perish quickly” (Deuteronomy 11:17) — through the attacks of other nations (Tanchuma 5:10:1).

GIVE EAR, YE HEAVENS. By way of the plain meaning of Scripture, the words of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra are correct that the Scriptures designate as witnesses all things which exist and endure. Similarly, Hear O ye mountains, the Eternal’s controversy.¹Micah 6:2. Because the mountains endure, the prophet designates them as witnesses in his statement of the Eternal’s controversy with Israel. So also with reference to the stone that Joshua set up [after he made the covenant with the people], for there it is written, for it hath heard [all the words of the Eternal which He spoke unto us].²Joshua 24:27. See Vol. I, p. 390. And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the reference here is to the first [higher] heavens and earth mentioned in Genesis, for it is they that shall enter the covenant with Israel. Therefore, he states that the heavens should give ear and listen to the conditions, and how he will apply them.

האזינו השמים ואדברה, "Give ear, O, heavens, and I will speak, etc." First of all we must understand why Moses added the word: "and I will speak." Why did he not simply say האזינו השמים דברי, "give ear to my words, O heavens?" Secondly, why did Moses not lump heavens and earth together and write: האזינו השמים והארץ, or שמעו השמים והארץ? Thirdly, why did Moses use the word להאזין when he referred to the listening done by the heavens whereas he used the expression שמיעה when describing the kind of listening he wanted the earth to do? Fourthly, why did Moses use an imperative when ordering the heavens to listen, i.e. האזינו, whereas when speaking to the earth he simply said תשמע instead of שמעי? Fifthly, why did he say that what he had to say to the heavens was tough talk, ואדברה, whereas when speaking to the earth he used the term אמירה indicating soft talk? Sixthly, why did he speak about אמרי פי, "the words of my mouth," instead of simply "my words?"

האזינו השמים, to repay Israel in the event they sin deliberately, as mentioned in Deuteronomy 11,17 where G’d had threatened to withhold the rain, i.e. the blessings that originate in heaven.

האזינו השמים ואדברה, ותשמע הארץ, “Give ear o heaven so that the earth will listen when I speak.” [You, the reader, will no doubt observe that the author inverted the headline, to already incorporate his interpretation of what is written here. Ed.] Some commentators feel that when Moses addressed “heaven,” he was in fact addressing the angels who reside in heaven. Similarly, when he called out to the “earth” to listen to his words, he meant the inhabitants of the earth. Other commentators feel that Moses addressed as witnesses the “rain” which comes from the sky, and the yield of the fields and vineyards that is provided by the earth’s input. He called upon both to be generous with their contributions when the people deserved it. I believe that the correct interpretation is that Moses addressed heaven and earth’s essence, as it is customary for verses in the Bible that describe someone as being called as witness to appoint enduring phenomena such as heaven and earth as witnesses, as one can be sure that when needed these witnesses will always be at hand. This is why we have שמעו הרים את ריב ה', the prophet Micah 6,2 calling as witness the mountains; when he relays G’d’s message to the people. Moses used the term האזנה when addressing the heavens, whereas he used the term שמע when addressing the earth. The prophet Isaiah, (Isaiah 1,2) in a similar appeal reversed what Moses did, using the term שמע when addressing the heavens, and the term האזנה when addressing the earth. The reason is that when the recipient of the sound of one’s voice is nearby, the term האזנה is appropriate, whereas for recipients further away the term שמע is appropriate. Moses was feeling closer to heaven than to earth at that time, hence he used the term appropriate for addressing someone nearby when speaking to heaven. Isaiah, not being on the same spiritual level as Moses reversed the procedure, as he was closer to earth than to heaven.

That I admonish the Israelites. Rashi is answering the question: How could Moshe command the heavens? Does he rule over heaven? And a further question: Why did he take testimony against Yisroel for they had not yet sinned? Therefore he explains that “I admonish [i.e., warn] the Israelites,” as it is written above, “I invoke as witnesses (העדתי) against you this day, heaven and earth” (Devarim 30:19). This is an expression of admonishing [i.e., warning], similar to, “The man warned us repeatedly (העד העיד)” (Bereishis 43:3). For [Moshe] had not yet said anything to heaven or earth, and it is only now that he speaks to them.

Kap. 32. V. 1. Es ist dies die im vorigen Kapitel V. 28 angekündigte Bestellung des Himmels und der Erde zu Zeugen und Garanten des mit Israel geschlossenen Gottesbundes und des über seine aus diesem Verhältnis sich gestaltende Zukunft zu sprechenden Wortes. (Siehe daselbst und Kap. 30, 19.) האזין, das Ohr hinneigen, spricht ein größeres Entgegenkommen zur Aufnahme eines zu sprechenden Wortes aus als שמע .שמע, gehört kann etwas auch ohne Wollen des Hörenden werden, nicht also האזין. Die Vollstreckung der von Himmel und Erde zu erwartenden Vertretung des Gottesbundes kommt in erster Linie vom Himmel, indirekt erst von der Erde zum Vollzuge. Aktiv ist zunächst der Himmel, die Erde mehr passiv; denn aller Segen und Unsegen der physischen Entwicklung der Erde, und soweit sie von diesen bedingt sind, auch der menschengesellschaftlichen Verhältnisse, sind von kosmischen außerirdischen Veränderungen bedingt, die in dem Begriff שמים enthalten sind. Was auf Erden sich gestalten soll, muss erst mit Wirkungen des "Himmels" beginnen. Daher die direkte Aufforderung an השמים, und zwar האזינו השמים zur Auf- und Übernahme des zu sprechenden Wortes. ותשמע הארץ, nicht ושמעי הארץ ist mehr eine indirekte Folge des האזינו השמים.

האזינו השמים ואדברה, “hearken o heavens and I will speak;” Moses, when addressing heaven and earth mentioned the word האזינו, addressing the ears of heavens first, whereas Isaiah when doing so in Isaiah 1,2 mentioned the word שמיעה, hearing first. The reason is that Moses’ primary field of activity was with heaven, he was close to it and did not need to worry about the ability of the heavens to hear him, but needed their attention to his words. Isaiah being closer to earth than to heaven had to proceed in the reverse order, first making sure that witnesses’ ears were open, before worrying about gaining their undivided attention. When someone is close to the one who addresses him, all he needs to do to get the message is turn his ears in the source of the sound’s direction. A person who is far from the speaker needs to insure first that he is heard, before worrying that what he says will be heard and understood. According to Rashi, (in his commentary on Isaiah) the reason for the opposite approaches taken between Moses and Isaiah is that both heaven and earth are witnesses, (compare Deut. 30,19) seeing they will be around as long as any Israelites exist, they had to be addressed as such in similar terms, i.e. both as hearing and hearkening, (paying attention to what they hear) otherwise each could claim that they were only witnesses to part of what had been demanded of them. Rav Hunna, quoting Rav Acha, claims that from the wording it is clear that there are more witnesses in heaven than on earth, seeing that Moses addresses heaven in the plural mode, האזינו, whereas he addresses earth in the singular mode, ותשמע. Isaiah followed the same pattern he had read about in the Torah, i.e. plural mode for heaven, and singular mode for earth.

האזינו השמים, “hearken o heaven, etc.;” the word האזינו is derived from אזן, “ear.” Moses asks the heavens and the earth to lend their ears to what he is about to say. This is a direct continuation of the last verse in the previous portion, Vayelech, in which he had announced this poem/song to the people. He now calls on the eternal heaven and earth to act as witnesses to what he had to say, seeing that he, as a mortal, cannot do so anymore.

So that you may serve as witnesses to the matter. For so I informed them, etc. Rashi is answering the question: Perhaps Yisroel would not accept heaven and earth as witnesses [against them]. Therefore Rashi explains, “for so I have informed them.” In other words, “I have already said to them.”

I have seen that our sages in the Sifri explain that seeing Moses was closer to heaven than to earth he said האזינו השמים, whereas Isaiah (Isaiah 1,2) who was more distant from heaven, addressed the heavens by saying שמעו שמים, "listen heavens!" This answers some of the questions we have posed but not all of them.

ירפס vergleicht diesen Eingang der Rede Mosches mit dem שמעו שמים והאזיני ארץ des Jesaias (Kap. 1, 2), und bemerkt: לפי שהיה משה קרוב לשמים לפיכך אמר האזינו השמים ולפי שהיה רחוק מן הארץ אמר ותשמע הארץ אמרי פי בא ישעי׳ וסמך לדבר ואמר שמעו שמים והאזיני ארץ, שמעו שמים שהיה רחק מן השמים, והאזיני ארץ שהיה קרוב לארץ.. Mosche stand dem Himmel nahe und der Erde fern, und darum forderte er den Himmel zu האזנה auf, die Erde aber zur שמיעה. Jesaias war aber dem Himmel fern und der Erde nahe, darum sprach er שמעו zum Himmel und האזיני zur Erde. Das zuvor bemerkte Verhältnis des Himmels und der Erde dürfte auch diesen Sätzen des ספרי zu Grunde liegen. Im Dienste der göttlichen Waltungszwecke ist der "Himmel" das Aktive, Spendende, die Erde aber mehr das passiv Empfangende. Mosche durfte sich in seiner Sendung den aktiven, spendenden Wirkungen der Himmel nahe verwandt begreifen. War er ja gesandt, die Saaten des Lichts und der Wärme, der Wahrheit und des Lebens dem Entwicklungsacker der Menschheit zu bringen. Vergleicht doch sofort V. 2 die von seiner Lehre und seinen Verheißungen zu erwartenden Wirkungen mit den die Fruchtbarkeit und das Gedeihen der Erde bewirkenden Himmelsspenden. Mosche durfte sich daher קרוב לשמים fühlen und spricht sein Wort unmittelbar zu den Ohren des Himmels. בא ישעי׳ וסמך לדבר. Jesaias, an diese Ausdrucksweise des so hoch über ihm stehenden Meisters anlehnend, fühlte sich in seiner Sendung nur der passiven Erde nahe — spricht er ja auch nicht: כי א׳ דברה, sondern כי ד׳ דבר daher nur שמעו שמים und והאזיני ארץ. Ohnehin war als Mosche das Wort seiner Sendung zu sprechen hatte, dasselbe als Bestimmung noch erst dem Himmel nahe, fern aber noch der Erde, auf welcher es seine Verwirklichung finden sollte. Jesaias aber stand in der Zeit der Verwirklichung und war ganz eigentlich ein vermittelnder Bote derselben. Sein Wort war daher in der Erdnähe. Daher auch hier an den Himmel gerichtet ואדברה, sind es noch erst דברים, ausgesprochene Bestimmungen, deren Verwirklichung immerhin noch in der Ferne liegen mochte, erst wenn sie die Erde berühren, werden sie im Vollzug begriffene אמרים. (vergl. Bereschit 1, 22-23)

האזינו השמים, “you have been witnesses when I gave the Torah to this people,” as Moses quoted G-d as saying in Exodus 20,20: כי מן השמים דברתי עמכם, “for I have spoken with you from the heaven”.

Similarly, “let the earth hear.” This means that you should not say that since it is written, “Listen heaven and earth as I declare,” the Torah must be speaking about two separate matters. Rather it means to say and also “let the earth hear” that I am warning Yisroel and you will be witnesses to the matter. The reason that it written regarding he heavens, “hearken” and regarding the earth, “hear” is because Moshe Rabbeinu was cleaving to the heavens, because he was nearing his death, and his soul was now cleaving to the Above. When a person is standing close to his friend, he says “hearken,” and therefore Moshe said, “Hearken [heavens].” But he was distant from the earth, therefore it is appropriate to use the term “hear.” For this reason he did not include them both in the same phrase and say, “Hearken Heaven and earth as I declare, etc.” Re”m explains that the reason he did not combine heaven and earth together is because heaven is deserving of more honor than the earth, and therefore he did not combine them in a single phrase. But his explanation does not answer why Scripture changes its expression and uses the term “hearken” for Heaven and “hear” for the earth.

If we do not accept the approach of Sifri we must first explore the meaning of the word להאזין. It seems to me that the word can have two meanings. One meaning is intransitive, one inclines one's ear in order to hear better. One strains to listen. The second meaning is: "listen with your ear," i.e. the meaning is transitive; one appeals to the listener to respond to what one has to say. The first meaning may imply that the one who does the listening is a long way from the source of the sound, and this is why he cannot hear without inclining his ear and paying extra special attention. According to the second meaning the ear of the listener may be quite close and this is why the person doing the talking says only האזין, "listen." This is the approach chosen by our sages. Seeing that the word can also have an alternate meaning as we have tried to explain, we have chosen to approach our verse assuming that Moses employed the alternate meaning. After all, there are 70 legitimate ways to explain the Torah.

ואדברהich will, ich möchte sprechen, ich habe zu sprechen. Es ist dies das Motiv der an die Himmel gerichteten Aufforderung. Mosche will erst sprechen, wenn die Himmel ihr Ohr zur Entgegennahme seiner Worte bereit gestellt.

ותשמע הארץ, “hear o earth,” singular mode, there being only one earth, seeing that the people were standing on it when they had said: נעשה ונשמע, “we will carry out the laws of the Torah as soon as we will hear them” (Exodus 24,7).

Moshe said, “I am only mortal and tomorrow I may die, etc. If you ask: Why does Rashi in parshas Nitzovim (Devarim 30:19) offer a different reason for the verse, “I invoke, as witnesses against you this day, heaven and earth”? One can answer that above, regarding the warning, the witnesses are required to admonish the person who wants to commit the sin, in order that he will [listen to them and] not sin. If so, it is difficult [to understand], how can heaven and earth give warning? They are unable to speak! One cannot explain that Moshe warned Yisroel before heaven and earth in order that they should not sin, because at that time [when Moshe warned them] they were not intending to sin. It would have been considered a doubtful warning, which is not considered an adequate warning. Therefore Rashi explains [there] “Gaze at the heavens, etc. This type of gazing is considered as if [heaven and earth] were delivering a verbal warning. However, here in this song, [Moshe] is speaking of the punishments for Yisroel, if they transgress Hashem’s mitzvos and worship idols. And regarding punishment it is written, (Devarim 17:7) “Let the hand of the witnesses against him be first” [to punish the sinners]. Therefore [Rashi] gives a different explanation here.

From an homiletical point of view we are at liberty to explain any verse differently from the way our sages have explained it as long as our explanation does not run counter to the halachah. This applies all the more when we are able to demonstrate that our explanation will utilise both possible meanings of the word להאזין.

“Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD…” (Shemot 15:1) There are ten songs. The first was said in Egypt, as it says “For you, there shall be singing As on a night when a festival is hallowed…” (Isaiah 30:29) The second was ‘Then Moses sang…’ Third was on the well “Then Israel sang this song…” (Bamidbar 21:17) The fourth was the song ‘Listen now…’ (Devarim 32:1) The fifth was “Joshua addressed the LORD…” (Yehoshua 10:12) The sixth “On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang…” (Shoftim 5:1) The seventh “David addressed the words of this song to the LORD…” (Shmuel II 22:1) The eight was “A song for the dedication of the House.” (Psalms 30:1) The ninth was Yehoshefat, as it is written “he stationed singers to the LORD extolling the One majestic in holiness as they went forth ahead of the vanguard, saying, “Praise the LORD, for His steadfast love is eternal.”” (Chronicles II 20:21) The tenth is in the time to come, as it says “Sing to the LORD a new song…” (Isaiah 42:10) This song is different, as it is named in the masculine form (shir chadash and not shirah chadasha). All the other songs are named in the feminine form because just as a female gives birth so all of these salvations had after them another subjugation; but in the time to come will be a salvation which is not followed by any subjugation, as it says “But Israel has won through the LORD Triumph everlasting…” (Isaiah 45:17) Thus it is written ‘a new song’ in the masculine (shir chadash), just as a male does not give birth. So it says “Ask and see: Surely males do not bear young!” (Jeremiah 30:6)

האזינו, Moses addresses the heavens in the plural mode as there are a number of different heavens making up many layers.

We propose to adopt the following approach which will answer all the questions we have raised. Inasmuch as the heavens are the symbol of the highest spiritual regions in the universe, Moses addressed them first asking them "incline your ears in order to hear my words." To the earth Moses said: "תשמע, "you will hear," i.e. you do not need to incline your ear seeing I am standing right close to you. The reason Moses spoke of אמרי פי "the words of my mouth," seeing Moses' mouth was so close to the earth. [the sound waves did not have to be carried far. Ed.]

ותשמע הארץ, But the earth is only one, therefore he addresses the earth in the singular mode.

Pursuing this approach will help us clear up all the other nuances in the verse, each one in accordance with the relative position of the earth and the heavens. He called to the distant region to incline its ear to enable it to hear, forcing himself to speak loudly, hence ואדברה. To the nearby region, he made it plain that although he also addressed it there was no need for him to call out to be heard.

האזינו השמים ותשמע הארץ, the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 1,2) took his cue from Moses, when he said: שמעו שמים והאזיני ארץ, “hear o heavens and give ear o earth;” when Moses recited this poem he was far from heaven, standing on earth; this is why the verb to describe hearing that he used was האזינו when addressing the heavens. One normally addresses first the people most distant and asks them to pay attention to what one has to say. Isaiah, who spoke at the instruction of the Lord, felt closer to heaven at that time, so that he reversed the use of the terms שמע and האזין respectively. When speaking to someone close by, the expression !האזין is not appropriate. Isaiah, at the time, considered himself as closer to heaven than to earth, seeing that he delivered a message from G-d in the heaven. Some commentators feel that exactly the opposite is true, and that the expression האזין, is the correct expression to be used when addressing someone close by, whereas the expression שמע is reserved for some further away. Moses who was so familiar with heaven and what goes on there, commenced with. האזינו therefore, and used the term שמע to call on the earth to listen, as by that time he was no longer at home on earth and had almost been completely absorbed by the heavenly regions.

When you keep these considerations in mind you will also understand the reason why the prophet Isaiah employed the opposite expressions, addressing earth as if it were distant and heavens as if it were near. The reason is explained by Isaiah himself when he said: כי ה׳ דבר, "for the Lord has spoken." In Isaiah we deal with a message from G'd. G'd who is in heaven does not have to shout in order to be heard in heaven. This is why He said שמעו when addressing heaven. Earth, which is distant from heaven, however, qualified for the form of address האזיני, as it had to be warned to strain to listen carefully seeing the message came all the way from heaven.

השמים, with the definitive prefix ה, makes it plain that he addresses the whole range of angels who have their homes in heavenly regions.

Perhaps the expression האזינו may simultaneously have both the meanings we outlined earlier.From the physical point of view, i.e. the words emanating from Moses' mouth, the meaning is as we stated. From the spiritual point of view, i.e. from the respective soul's point of view, it may correspond to the meaning our sages have adopted as its true meaning here. This would prove that Moses' soul had ascended to heaven at the time and this is what our sages had in mind when they described Moses as being closer to heaven than to earth at that time, as distinct from Isaiah.

On a moral-ethical plane perhaps Moses addressed the two components man is made of, the spiritual and the physical component. Moses called the spiritual part "heaven," and the physical part "earth." Our sages in Sanhedrin 91 alluded to something of this kind when they interpreted Psalms 50,4 יקרא אל שמים מעל ואל הארץ לדין עמו. "He summoned the heavens above and the earth, for the trial of His people." The Talmud understands the verse as a justification for G'd judging man who is composed of both body and soul. Each one on its own cannot be held responsible for the acts of the other. When they are together, however, G'd is able to punish man for his sins.

והארץ, and similarly, all the forces active on earth as part of what we call: “nature.”

When Moses addresses the spiritual element within man he calls out to it and says האזינו השמים, i.e. "listen you heavenly parts," the ones which are concealed inside man and therefore have to make an effort to listen, להאזין. He employs the tough ואדברה, so that the soul will accept the authority of its Creator and carry out its duty.

Vis-a-vis the physical part of man, the visible part, Moses said ותשמע הארץ, addressing the parts of man which consist of earth. He said אמרי פי, because the body being by nature far from the regions where abstract intelligence predominates, requires the soft-toned approach in order to be able to listen properly.

It is also possible that Moses tailored his words to the several levels of Israelites. There was the layer comprising the leaders on the one hand, and the vast multitude of the common people. The latter were not known by any distinctive appellation. Moses described the leaders and the elite as שמים, seeing they were on a spiritually lofty level; he addressed them imperatively האזינו השמים, whereas afterwards he said ותשמע הארץ. He implied that if the leaders of the people had demonstrated that they accepted Moses' instructions it would be automatic for the common people to do so also. The Zohar volume two page 36 phrases it thus: "If the head of the people behaves properly the whole people behaves properly."

There may be another allusion here. People who are absorbed in listening to words of Torah and absorbing them are described as שמים, heaven; this is similar to Psalms 82,6: אני אמרתי אלוקים אתם ובני עליון כלכם, "I had said that you are divine beings, sons of the Most High, all of you." We have pointed out in connection with Genesis 6,3 (page 87) that the deeds of the righteous are able to transform mere earthly matter and give it a divine form, whereas the wicked, alas, accomplish the reverse by their evil deeds.

We have also mentioned that the "form" is known as "heaven," whereas the "material" is known as "earth." Moses uses the expression ואדברה, suggesting that the heavens should not only listen carefully to what he has to say when his words are flattering and pleasing, but, even when he had to communicate admonitions on account of sins which had been committed, he wanted these normally "heavenly" people to listen with equal intensity to what he had to say.

ותשמע הארץ, "and hear O earth;" Moses meant that even after the separation of body and soul, when the body is no more than mere earth, "this earth" should still listen to the words coming forth from Moses' mouth. This may be understood also with the help of the Zohar Chadash Bereshit 20. In the future a heavenly voice will travel past every marked grave and invite the dead to rise from their graves. They base this on Kings II 23,17: "What is the grave-marker I see here?" [The grave in question was that of a prophet. Ed.] This is a reference to the promise by G'd that even the bodies of the righteous would be able to respond when one addresses them. ותשמע הארץ אמרי פי, from the sequence of what Moses said you can learn that he who is not on the spiritual level of מאזין, does not possess the kind of body that will respond at the time of the resurrection to the proclamation mentioned in Zohar Chadash being addressed to the bodies undergound.

יערף כמטר לקחי MY DOCTRINE DROPPETH AS RAIN — This is the evidence that ye will have to give: that in your presence I declare that the Torah which I gave to Israel (לקחי) is life to the world as the rain which is life to the world (cf. Sifrei Devarim 306:17) — even as the heavens drop down dew and rain.

He states My doctrine shall drop as the rain,³Verse 2. for that which he took from the heavens [i.e., the Written Torah]⁴Abusaula. and His commandment upon the earth [i.e., the Oral Torah]⁴Abusaula. shall drop upon Israel and distill upon them like dew. When I shall call the name of the Eternal in the heavens ascribe ye greatness to our G-d⁵Verse 3. on earth — and he is speaking to all Israel [for it is they who are on earth]. Similarly, the “stone” of Joshua²Joshua 24:27. See Vol. I, p. 390. alludes to this earth, for from thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.⁶Genesis 49:24. See Ramban ibid., in my Hebrew edition pp. 273-274. I have already explained it.⁶Genesis 49:24. See Ramban ibid., in my Hebrew edition pp. 273-274. So also, The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner-stone. This is the Eternal’s doing etc.⁷Psalms 118:22-23. Therefore, Joshua said, Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us.²Joshua 24:27. See Vol. I, p. 390. And so also, For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone are seven facets etc.⁸Zechariah 3:9. Reference here is to Joshua the High Priest, who ministered in the early period of the Second Temple. The student learned in the mysteries of the Cabala will understand.

יערף במטו לקחי, "May my teaching drop like the rain." We may understand these words of Moses as being similar to the statement in Avot 3,21: "if there is no flour there will be no Torah, etc." The message is that just as the Israelites require rainfall for their physical survival so they require words of Torah instruction for their spiritual survival. The meter of the verse is: "May my teaching drop like rain." G'd does not expect His people to study Torah until He has provided physical sustenance for them. Conversely, you may conclude from Moses' words that if words of Torah will not drop from the people's lips, G'd in turn is not anxious to provide rain for them. This is precisely what Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaryah meant in Avot when he said on the one hand: "if there is no flour there is no Torah; if there is no Torah there will be no flour." Accordingly, you can understand what Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaryah said in this vein: "if you observe that there is not enough flour, know that the reason is that there is not enough Torah study." The reason that Moses employs the simile of rain falling for describing Torah study is because just as rain falls in droplets so Torah is absorbed a little at a time.

יערוף כמטר, if you will be mindful of my words of admonition they will prove as useful for you as rain.

יערוף כמטר לקחי, here my teachings will pour down and flow without interruption like rain for those who understand and are prepared to receive it from the fountain, the source of wisdom.

יערף כמטר לקחי, “May my teaching descend like the rain, etc.” Ibn Ezra explains the term לקחי as meaning “teaching,” comparing it to Proverbs 4,2כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם תורתי אל תעזובו, “for I have given you good instruction, do not abandon My Torah.”

This is the witness you are to bear, etc. Rashi is answering the question: How is this matter relevant here? And he explains that it is certainly relevant here, because this is the testimony, etc.

V. 2. ערף יערף וגו׳ das Nackengelenk, das fügsamste, beweglichste Gelenk am Körper, dessen Bewegungen am raschesten einer jeden Willensrichtung folgen, und der Gegensatz קשה ערף. Daher die Lockerung der starren Erdkrume durch den Teilchen von Teilchen lösenden Regen: ערף. Damit verwandt vielleicht auch חרף, die Jahreszeit, in welcher der Erdboden den lockernden Elementareinflüssen unterliegt.

יערוף כמטר לקחי, “may my discourse come down as rain;” the words that I am going to address to you are not meaningless, but just as the value of the rain when it comes down to earth is not immediately visible and felt as a benefit, nonetheless eventually it is responsible for the growing and ripening of the fruit on the trees, and its benefit becomes evident.”An alternate interpretation of Moses’ introductory comments: may it be the Lord’s will that my words will not return to me empty, but that they will grow like fruit in your hearts and in the hearts of all those who listen to them. May they act like the dew on the earth which promotes the growth of the grain crops. Moses mentions four different directions on earth here, as we will see, and just as he has called heaven and earth as witnesses, he appeals separately to all the four winds blowing from the four directions on the surfaces of the earth, north and south, east and west. He implies that if the Jewish people will conduct themselves as G-d wishes them to conduct themselves, the winds from each of these four directions will blow beneficially for them.

יערף means, IT DROPS. Similar is (Psalms 65:12) “[And thy paths] drop fatness” (ירעפון, where רעף = ערף); (Deuteronomy 33:28) “[also his heavens] shall drop down (יערפו) dew”.

תזל כטל אמרתי, and it too will contribute in accordance with the information which has been revealed to ordinary people. Even though these scraps of information are sparse, they are as useful to the recipients as is dew for the grass. The reason is that both in quantity and quality it is כשעירים עלי דשא, intelligent people can discern wonderful insights by listening to these words of mine; [וכרביבים עלי עשב, עשב being coarse, unrefined grass, it is a simile for coarse unrefined people. Ed.] even the most ordinary, uneducated people will acquire some knowledge by listening to what I have to say. It will help them to recognise and appreciate their Maker.

תזל כטל אמרתי, “may my words flow like dew.” Moses repeats what he says, though in poetic form, in order to reinforce his words. When the prophets prayed they usually employed this mode of speech, repeating the same or almost the same thought in different words. [This may be the reason why, when offering a תפלה של רשות, a prayer that is not part of the prescribed prayers, one is allowed to do so only if one can add words of one’s own, a slight variation of the prescribed prayer. Ed.] Moses feels that words thus reinforced will not be sent back by the addressee without at least a partial response, acceptance by the listeners. The choice of simile suggests that Moses hopes that his words will act in the hearts of his listeners as the rain does when it hits the earth.

When the heavens flow with dew and rainfall. One could say that [Rashi] wants to explain how this is implicit in the verse that [Moshe] said to Yisroel, that the Torah is likened to rain. And he explains that this is what the verse means: “When the heavens, etc.” And how does Rashi know to explain that “My instruction (לקחי)” refers to the Torah? Because it is written, “For I have given to you a good instruction (לקח)” (Mishlei 4:2). What is the reason [that lekach refers to the Torah]? Because it is taken from hand to hand, as the verse states, “From His right [hand] — the flaming Torah” (Devarim 33:1). In other words, Moshe Rabbeinu took it from the right hand of the Holy One, Blessed Is He. And why is it called the “Living Torah”? Because the verse states, “It is a tree of life to those who grasp it” (Mishlei 3:18).

Another reason why Moses chose the simile of rainfall to describe Torah study may have been to alert his listeners that just as the absence of rainfall for a prolonged period would result in death for those deprived of it, so the absence of Torah for a prolonged period would also bring death in its wake. It is similar to what Isaiah said in Isaiah 1,19: "if you agree and give heed, you will eat the good things of the earth; but if you refuse and disobey, you will be devoured by the sword." לקחי, אמרתי, Moses repeats the message in different words in order to make them apply to the two Torot, i.e. the written Torah as well as the oral Torah. Moses aims the word לקחי at the written Torah whereas he refers to the oral Torah when he tells the people to listen to his אמרתי. Moses referred to the Torah G'd had handed him personally, written by G'd's own finger. Although G'd only gave him two tablets containing Ten Commandments, these Ten Commandments contained within them everything that is written in the entire Torah, compare (Bamidbar Rabbah 13). As to the oral Torah, Moses used the term אמרתי, seeing the oral Torah was received by Moses from G'd on a mouth to mouth basis. It was not recorded in writing. Moses labelled the written Torah מטר, rain, whereas he labelled the oral Torah טל, dew. The reason he did this is because the written Torah is the more important of the two. It is the foundation of everything. The oral Torah is a collection of details none of which were spelled out clearly enough in the written Torah. What appears in the oral Torah has only been hinted at in the written Torah. This is why the Torah (Moses) describes the written Torah as rain which is basic and fundamental to nature. Dew, on the other hand, is something which improves the basic work of rainfall just as the oral Torah rounds out the written Torah.

לקח ,לקחי ist die Lehre vom Standpunkt des Lernenden, die aufgenommene oder aufzunehmende Lehre. — נשל .נזל von dem bisherigen Halt loslösen, נצל das gewaltsame Trennen von einem Halt. נזל, die natürliche schwächste Kohärenz der Teilchen, bezeichnet die Bewegung des Flüssigen. Daher der Gegensatz: נצבו כמו נד נוזלים (Schmot 15, 8). — אמרה ,אמרתי gewöhnliche Bezeichnung von Gottes Verheißungen, Zusagen. Vergl. Bamidbar 23, 19.

יערוף כמטר, this is a reference to west wind which originates in the neck of the world and usually brings rain in its wake.

תזל כטל IT FLOWS AS THE DEW in which everybody rejoices. He adds this because rain involves annoyance to some people, as, for instance, to those on a journey, or a man whose pit (the pit into which the wine flows when the grapes are being pressed) is full of wine (which thus becomes spoiled) (Sifrei Devarim 306:17).

With which all rejoice, etc. And this is not the case with rain. Afterwards [Moshe] compares [the Torah] to the wind, because this too is better than dew, and he continues and adds.

There is another aspect to the choice of Moses' similes, one that is best understood by the Kabbalists. Please read the comments of the Beer Heytev on Orach Chayim chapter 238 where he quotes the Ari Zal. The author claims that the preoccupation with the study of the written Torah is an obligation which applies only during the day and not during the night. Therefore it is not in order to read the written Torah at night. We have a Baraitha in Midrash Tehillim that during the 40 days that Moses was in heaven, close to G'd, he was able to distinguish between night and day only by means of the subject matter G'd taught him. When G'd taught Moses Mishnah, i.e. oral Torah, he knew it must be night-time. The reason is that it was not permitted to study the written Torah at night.

סער שער .כשעירים und סערה שערה: Sturm, שער Entsetzen, שער Haar, שעיר das behaarte, struppige Tier, der Bock. Grundbedeutung scheint: eine starke Fortbewegung von innen heraus, räumlich: Sturm, im Gemüte: Entsetzen, physiologisch und zwar numerisch starkes Herauswachsen aus Tier- und Pflanzenkörper: Haar. Hier ist es räuglich von שער Sturm und zwar in passiver Form wie שעיר, das haarbedeckte Tier, so vom Sturm fortbewegte Regenschauer, so wohl auch וכרביבים — .כרוחי מטרא :ת׳׳א רביב von רבב, der Wurzel von רב, ein reicher Regenguss, vielleicht auch reichen Pflanzenwuchs erzeugend, wie רבבה כצמח השדה נתתיך (Ezech. 16, 7).

תזל כטל אמרתי, “may my speech distil just as the dew.” This is a reference to the northern wind, which is pleasant just like the dew.

כשעירים — This word has the same meaning as in (Psalms 148:8) “stormy (סערה) wind” (the ס and ש interchanging), as the Targum has it: כרוחי מטרא “like winds that bring rain”. How is it with the winds? They strengthen the herbage and promote their growth! So, too, the words of the Torah promote the moral growth of those who study them (Sifrei Devarim 306:18).

As in “storm winds, etc.” The letters samech and shin are interchangeable.

This is the reason why Moses described the written Torah as rain, something which does not fall every day, at all hours, only during the rainy season but not during the summer. We have already described several times what happened to the Amora Rava (Taanit 24) who prayed to heaven in order that there be a rainfall in summer because he wanted to prove to a scoffer that G'd can make rain in summer. Similarly, the written Torah is described as rain. Our sages allocated only certain parts of the day to its study, by day and not by night. Dew, on the other hand, is something which we observe on a year round basis, day in day out. It descends both in summer and in winter. Similarly, the oral Torah is described as dew. It is to be studied both by day and by night. There is no restriction on what is a good time to study the oral Torah. The fact that the sun dissipates the effect of the dew is no argument; after all, it is not the fault of absence of dew which on occasion nullifies its effectiveness.

Zwei Momente bilden die Sendung Mosche: Lehre und Verheißung. Er erwartet von dem Zusammenwirken des Himmels und der Erde in Gestaltung der Zukunft seines Volkes, dass beide Momente seiner Sendung doch nicht verloren seien, dass beide doch endlich ihr Ziel erreichen werden, erwartet, dass die von Gott zu Zeugen und Garanten seines Bundes bestellten Himmel und Erde nicht ruhen werden, bis seine תורה endlich doch לקח, doch vom Volke an- und in sich aufgenommen werde und den lange starr gebliebenen Boden seines Geistes und Herzens auflockern werde, auf dass darin die Saaten des Lichts und der Wärme, der Erkenntnis und des Lebens aufgehen können, und dass seine Verheißungen, erfrischend wie der Tau, sein Volk immer wieder belebend aufrichten und aufrecht erhalten werden in den schweren Gängen, die ihm bevorstehen; dass beide reinigend wie Schauerstürme über die Flur hin und endlich befruchtend wie reiche Regenfülle aufs Kraut sich bewähren werden.

כשעירים עלי דשא, “as the small rain on the tender grass;” this is a reference to the wind blowing from the south which is stormy like its namesake, the billy goats.

וכרביבים — these are DROPS OF RAIN. It seems to me that it (the rain) is called רביב because it shoots down like an arrow, just as you say, (i.e. just as the text reads) (Genesis 21:20) “A shooter (רבה) with the bow”.

The envelopment of the earth, etc. This means that the word grass (דשא) includes many kinds of plants which clothe the earth and cover it, and the totality is called deshe. [The other word for] grass (עשב) refers to a specific species, and each species on its own is called eisev. See parshas Bereishis (1:11).

כשעירים עלי דשא, "like showers on young growth, etc." We may understand this simile in connection with a Baraitha quoted in Midrash Mishley 10. Rabbi Yishmael is quoted as saying that when the time comes when a man has to give an accounting of what he did with his time while on earth, one of the questions he will be asked is if he has a command of the written Torah. If he answers in the negative he is asked why he did not study. Next they ask him if he has a command of the oral Torah. If he answers in the affirmative He is asked whether he also has a command of the Talmud. The questioning continues in that vein. He is not asked whether he has a command of esoterical matters i.e. מעשה מרכבה. They ask a person only on matters which he was capable of studying and absorbing. This is the meaning of כשעירים וכרביבים, meaning that just as G'd makes it rain in little droplets on the grass which is still very young, and in bigger droplets on the grass which has already reached a certain height, one's Torah knowledge is expected to match one's age and one's I.Q. This rule is at one and the same time both harsh and kind. The Torah makes allowances for people who are under-endowed mentally; on the other hand, even someone who has a good command of Scripture, Mishnah and Talmud may be found wanting as he did not measure up to his potential and also studied esoterics, i.e. מעשה מרכבה

כרביבים, “and like the showers on the herbs.” This is a reference to the east wind, which is beneficial for seedlings and which blows most of the day. According to the opinion of our author, the east wind blows mostly in the morning, the south wind around noon, the west wind at the beginning of the night, and the northern wind around midnight. The northern wind is prevalent during the summer, when it is welcome, whereas when it blows in the winter it is difficult to bear; the opposite is the case with the wind originating in the south. The western wind is difficult to bear at any time. [I presume the latter observations are meant to describe human reactions, as opposed to the reactions of the earth. Ed.] Eastern winds (i.e. sandstorms originating in the east) are never welcome from the perspective of human beings.

דשא — herbaries in old French. English herbage — the vesture of the ground when it is covered with vegetation (greens).

עשב HERB — a single stalk is called עשב and similarly each species of herbs by itself is called עשב (whilst דשא denotes vegetation in general). (Cf. Rashi on Genesis 1:11 and Note thereon).

כי שם ה' אקרא WHEN I SHALL CALL THE NAME OF THE LORD [ASCRIBE YE GREATNESS UNTO OUR GOD] — You see, כי is here used in the meaning of “when”, similar to (Leviticus 23:10) “When (כי) ye come into the land”. The meaning is: when I proclaim and mention the Name of the Lord, YE ASCRIBE GREATNESS TO OUR GOD and bless His name. From here they (the Rabbis) derived the law that people make the response, “Blessed be the Name of His glorious Kingdom for ever and ever", after the recital of a Benediction in the Temple (Sifrei Devarim 306:37; Berakhot 21a; Taanit 16b).

כי שם ה' אקרא, If this is as I said, then you Israel who have received these words of wisdom, will appreciate that the thrust of my address is a prayer, a prayer that all of us, including myself, will experience the ultimate redemption after the last exile. [Moses includes this in his preamble in order to make sure that his listeners will not fail to see the forest by concentrating too much on the individual trees. Ed.] Our author first proceeds to quote examples of such formulations as Moses uses here meaning prayer. We find in Lamentations 3,55 קראתי שמך ה' מבור תחתיות, ”I have called on Your Name from the depths of the Pit.” Clearly, Jeremiah refers to his prayer. We read in Psalms 99,6 concerning the trio of Moses, Aaron, and Samuel, that they were known as קוראי שמו והוא יענם, “that whenever they prayed to G’d He would respond to them favourably.”
Moses therefore tells the people: “when I pray for the ingathering of the exiles I want G’d to orchestrate this so that it is like the eagle rousing his young and carrying them to a new destination on the back of his wings.” (verse 11) Moses continues, focusing in his prayer on the arrival of the Messiah by saying ה' בדד ינחנו, G’d will do this all on His own, without anyone’s assistance (verse 23). At the very end of his shirah, (verse 43) he exclaims הרנינו גויים עמו, which is equivalent to the instruction in our verse here of הבו גודל לאלוקינו, render glory to our G’d.

כי שם ה׳ אקרא, "For I will proclaim the name of the Lord, etc." Moses explains that the whole objective of his speeches is to exalt the name of G'd, much as we have read in the Zohar volume 3 page 98 that the entire written Torah is an elongated name of the Lord. Concerning this statement Moses says: "and my teaching drop like rain [the teaching being a simile for the name of G'd. Ed.]. The word אקרא may be understood as from the root יקר, precious.

כי שם ה' אקרא, when I will tell you about the great and wonderful things G’d has done for you, as well as that He is righteous in what He will do for you in the future, you too will want to render Him homage, proclaim His greatness, by proclaiming Him as our G’d. This will not be flattery, but recognition of what is a truth.

Now “כי” is used to denote “when”, etc. For it is impossible to explain that [ki here means “because” and that] it is giving a reason for what is written above.

V. 3. כי שם ד׳ וגו׳, denn es ist nicht sein Wort, das er zu sprechen habe, er ist es nicht, in dessen Namen er Himmel und Erde auffordere, es ist Gott, dessen Name, dessen der menschlichen Erkenntnis zugängliche Waltungsweisen (vergl. Schmot 33, 19) er verkündet; Ihm, seinem und ihrem Meister, sollen sie die Größe geben, הבו גדל לאלקינו, in Seinem Namen erwartet er die Mitwirkung zu seinem Werk.

כי שם ה' אקרא, “for I will proclaim the Holy Name of the Lord;” this refers to Moses’ previous reference to heaven and earth; he tells his people that at all times they need to proclaim the greatness of the Lord both in heaven an on earth; this is similar to the psalmist proclaiming in Psalms 69,35: הללוהו שמים וארץ, “praise the heavens and the earth!” The psalmist also phrases this thought when he said (Psalms 19,2) השמים מספרים כבוד אל, “the heavens tell of the glory of G-d.” We do all this whenever we read the Torah in public and a forum of ten male adults is present. The prophet Jeremiah, 33,25, has taught us that G-d is on record as saying that if it were not for His covenant with the Jewish people, He would not consider it worthwhile to have created the universe, i.e. day or night and all of nature that goes with it. The letters in the names of G-d themselves provide a hint, 6 letters which in addition to the four directions of earth point to heaven and earth themselves, i.e. the number 6 reminding us of the number of days G-d took to create our universe.

That one responds “May the Name of His glorious kingdom be blessed, etc.” If you ask that [perhaps it does not mean this formula of “Blessed, etc.” but simply] it means that they answer “Amein” [in the Beis Hamikdosh]. And furthermore from where does he know that it is referring to the Beis Hamikdosh at all, perhaps it refers to outside the Midkosh? One can answer that because it is written “Give greatness,” and “Amein” does not denote greatness, but rather is a statement of belief in the words of the one who recites the blessing. Also, it is written, “When I pronounce Hashem’s Name” which implies the Tetragrammaton [i.e., Four-letter Name of Hashem], and it is forbidden to mention this Name outside the Beis Hamikdosh. For only in the Beis Hamikdosh did they enunciate the Name as it is written.

Another thought Moses may have had in mind here is that although he compared the written and oral Torah respectively to rain and dew, the people should not think of that distinction when studying Torah. All they should concentrate on is to study G'd's Torah. The reason Moses said כי, "for," is to to warn that the reason for Torah study should be to learn the word of G'd in order to better appreciate what His name stands for. Only in this fashion can a man truly ascribe greatness to G'd and His name. In other words, Torah is to be studied לשמה, for its own sake. The reason Moses said אקרא, is that he wants every individual to do precisely this, to proclaim the greatness of G'd. Alternatively, we may understand this in terms of the Zohar volume three page 273 that all the people who are engaged in Torah study are sparks of Moses' soul, and this does not only apply to the generation of the Jews in the desert but all down the long millennia of history until the coming of the Messiah. Anyone who studies Torah is blessed by Moses. This is the reason he could credit Israel's preoccupation with Torah to himself.

Die ersten drei Verse sind Einleitung zum שירה-Wort, das mit dem folgenden Verse beginnt. Berachot 21 a wird an diesem כי שם ד׳ אקרא הבו גדל לאלקינו die Vorschrift der ברכת התורה לפניה, der vor dem Lesen aus der Tora zu sprechenden Beracha gelehrt. Wie Mosche hier, bevor er das Gotteswort der שירה begann, deren Bedeutung als Gotteswort, als Verkündung seines Namens aussprach, und damit die Aufforderung an seine Hörer verband, in diesem Sinne sein Wort anzuhören, und dies durch huldigende Hingebung an Gott zu betätigen, הבו גדל לאלקינו, so ist ja in Wahrheit die ganze תורה eine "Verkündung des Gottesnamens", die Offenbarung Gottes in der Welt, in der Menschheit, in Israel und in dem von Israel zu gestaltenden Leben, und namentlich wer hintritt zum Lesen und Vorlesen der תורה im Kreise seiner Genossen, spricht zuvor es aus, dass es תורתו, dass es die Gotteslehre sei, dass Er sie uns gegeben, und wie er selber in ברוך die Huldigung des Gehorsams an den Geber dieses Gesetzes ausspricht, so fordert er auch die zuhörenden Genossen zu gleicher ברוך-Huldigung auf: ברכו את ד׳ המבורך ganz gleichbedeutend mit dem הבו גדל לאלקינו. Ebenso wird Joma 37 a überhaupt hieran gelehrt, einem den Gottesnamen verkündenden Ausspruch mit dem huldigenden Worte ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד oder dem zustimmenden sich anschließenden אמן zu begegnen. (Siehe Raschi Berachot daselbst; vergleiche zu Dewarim 8, 10; Bamidbar 6, 27)

כי שם ה' אקרא, these words have been interpreted by the author of the Jerusalem Talmud as meaning that Moses prophesied: “woe to you sinful the gentiles who mention the Holy Name of the Lord;” Even the angels are not able to pronounce that holy name until after the Jewish people here on earth have proclaimed it in the kedushah, by saying: קדוש קדוש קדוש three times. It was Moses who here provided the key to praising G-d in this mode. There are 21 words from the beginning of our portion, containing 85 letters. According to the Sifri, Moses said: “I am satisfied to be immediately behind in rank to seven angels,” i.e. to recite the holy Name of G-d after these twenty one words. This is the reason why the sages arranged for the part of our daily prayers known as “kedushah” to comprise a total of 21 words. [The 21 words are: נקדש את שמך בעולם כשם שמקדישים אותו בשמי מרום, וכן כתוב על יד נביאך וקרא זה אל זה ואמר קדוש הדוש קדוש. In the corresponding morning kedushah prayer on Sabbath mornings, there are 85 words, beginning with: נקדישך ונעריצך כסוד שיח שרפי קודש המקדישים שמד בקודש וגו'. We are not allowed to pronounce the critical words: קדוש קדוש קדוש until after an introduction of 85 words. The same is true of the kedushah prayer in the mussaph service, which commences with words: 'כתר יתנו לך המוני מעלה וגו.]

Another thought Moses may have had in mind when saying כי שם ה׳ אקרא, is that it is the reason for what Moses said later, i.e. הבו גדל לאלוקינו. In order to appreciate this let us look at Yalkut Shimoni Noach item 62 where the author interprets Psalms 22,4 ישב תהלות ישראל, "the enthroned One, the Praise of Israel." According to the Yalkut what this verse means is that G'd did not take His seat on His throne until the angels in heaven had proclaimed: "blessed be the Lord G'd of Israel." He had not been satisfied with being called the "G'd of the heaven and of the earth." This is why Moses here called on the Israelites to praise the Lord. The operative word in what Moses is saying is the word אלוקינו, "our G'd." Only when the Israelites are engaged in studying the Torah do they truly praise the Lord in a manner no one else can. When the angels praise the Lord by reciting the formula: "blessed be the Lord G'd of Israel," this threatens to become a mockery unless the Israelites are engaged in Torah sudy. Should they fail to do so, they make liars out of the angels. Our sages have offered many different interpretations on this verse.

וכן איתא במכלתא פ׳ בא וז׳׳ל: אין לי אלא אכילת מזון שטעון ברכה לפניו ולאחריו תורה מנין וכו׳ רבי חנינא וכו׳ אומר כי שם ד׳ אקרא .זה המברך הבו גדל לאלדינו אלו העונין אחריו ומה הן עונין אחריו ברוך ד׳ המברך לע׳׳ו לללל והנה הרמב׳׳ן בהשנותיו על הרמב׳׳ם בס׳ המצות על מצות עשה לפי דעתו השיג עליו במצוה טו׳ על שלא חשב ברכת התורה לפניה שהיא דאוריתא על פי סוגיא הנ׳׳ל ובעל מגלת אסתר לא מצא להליץ בעד הרמב׳׳ם אם לא שחשב שמדרש הנ׳׳ל בזה הפסוק הוא על דרך אסמכתא בלבד אמנם עליו להביא ראיה עב׳׳ל. ולענ׳׳ד אפשר ראיה גדולה להרמב׳׳ם דהא לכאורה הדבר ברור מתוך המכלתא ומתוך הסוגיא שמדרש הזה לא מיירי כי אם מקריאת התורה בצבור דהא רק בצבור יש עונין אחריו לדרוש בזה הבו גודל לאלדינו ורק בצבור יש ברכה לאחריה שרוצה ללמוד הש׳׳ם מק׳׳ו ע׳׳ש והנה קריאת התורה בצבור גופה אינה אלא דרבנן — אם לא בפ׳ זכור והקהל — אחר זמן מצאתי אשר גם מעדני י׳׳ט פ׳׳ק דברכות סי׳ יג מוכיח דהסוגיא לא מיירי כי אם בצבור ומשום .הכי הדרשא רק אסמכתא ע׳׳ש

הצור תמים פעלו THE ROCK, HIS WORK IS PERFECT — Although He is strong (הצור!) yet when He brings punishment upon those who transgress His will, He does not bring it in a flood of anger, but in deliberate judgment, because תמים פעלו HIS WORK IS PERFECT.

THE ROCK, HIS WORK IS PERFECT. This is an allusion to the attribute of justice. He states His work is perfect for whatever act emanates from Him is perfect and complete, eternally immovable and unchangeable. For all His ways are justice. They are [indeed] the merciful⁹Kesef Mezukak suggests that the word “merciful” is incongruous with “the attribute of justice.” Therefore, he deletes “merciful” and substitutes “perfect.” ways, and there is no deficiency in [His] work; [rather, His work is performed] but in a just measure.¹⁰Jeremiah 10:24. For justice belongs to the G-d of faithfulness and there is no injustice¹¹In Verse 4 before us. in the Rock. Thus the justice [dispensed] is righteous and the Rock is upright.

Do not relate to Him differently on account of what you hear in my song about Israel’s future. Do not come to the mistaken conclusion that G’d will ever change and that the experiences that will befall the Jewish people during the course of history, and which I am about to foreshadow, are evidence of His changing and possibly becoming the Jewish people’s enemy. You are very well aware through the variety of miracles He has performed on your behalf that הצור, He remains the Rock and His actions are always motivated by pure motives. This being so, if at times He does not appear to help you, save you, this is not due to a weakening on His part, neither is He hard of hearing so that He did not hear your pleas; never ascribe any injustice to Him;

הצור תמים פעלו, "The Rock, His work is perfect." Moses had stated in the last verse that the cause of rainfall and dew is Torah study. Moses now adds that if someone who does study Torah nonetheless experiences extreme poverty, or if one sees a person who had suffered deprivations until he shook off the yoke of Torah and suddenly became very wealthy, the reason is not due to this person shaking off the yoke of Torah. The onlooker should not make such phenomena an excuse to become an heretic, but should acknowledge G'd as a fair Judge. This is reason Moses describes G'd as הצור, as someone Who is strong and steadfast even if He appears to discipline man. Our response has to be that תמים פעלו, "that whatever He does is perfect." This is the correct reaction to when we observe that G'd apparently compensates very sparingly people who have been very generous doing good works and who have studied Torah. The words כי כל דרכיו משפט, "for all His ways are justice," refer to the reverse phenomenon, i.e. people who have apparently done hardly anything to deserve the way in which G'd appears to lavish His bounty on them. We have to remember that G'd does not afflict the righteous until he has become guilty to suffer afflictions, and He does not lavish His goodness on the wicked unless they had done something to deserve it.

הצור תמים פעלו, this poem envisages the entire future; this is why it deals primarily with the holocaust the Israelites will experience as retribution for their sinfulness. Moses’ point is that no matter what terrible times the Jewish people experience, none of it is a reflection on the perfection of its G’d, the Rock of the universe; He remains perfect throughout in whatever He does.

הצור תמים פעו, “The Rock, perfect is His work;” Ibn Ezra writes that the reason Moses commences with this praise of Hashem, is to make plain to the Israelites to begin with, that if they will experience disasters of whatever kind in the future, the cause must not be attributed to the Creator but they must search for it in their own shortcomings, seeing that there are no shortcomings in anything G’d has created.

Although He is almighty. Rashi is answering the question: Why does Moshe Rabbeinu call the Holy One, Blessed Is He [by the Name] “Rock”? Furthermore, what is the meaning of “flawless” that is mentioned here? Are there any actions of the Holy One, Blessed Is He, that are not flawless? Therefore Rashi explains, “Although, etc.”

V. 4. הצור וגו׳. Mit diesem Worte beginnt die eigentliche צור .שירה als bildliche Bezeichnung Gottes kehrt wiederholt in dieser שירה wieder und erscheint als charakteristischer Begriff derselben. Der erste Gedanke, man kann sagen, der Grundgedanke der hier beginnenden קריאת שם ד׳ ist: צור (nach einigen hier auch mit großem צ). Nach der Auffassung der Weisen im ספרי liegt in צור der Doppelgedanke: התקיף, der Starke, und: הצייר, der Bildner. In der Tat, wenn צור in der gewöhnlichen Bedeutung als Fels das natürliche Bild des Festen, Starken, Unveränderlichen und Unüberwindlichen und so den Ausdruck für den stärksten und zuverlässigsten Halt und Schutz bietet, so liegt doch schon in der Verbalbedeutung der Wurzel צור eine zwiefache Betätigung der im Substantiv צור vergegenwärtigten Stärke. צור heißt als Verbum meistens: belagern, einengen, somit die Stärke in einer festen Umschränkung, Einschließung äußern. כי תצור אל עיר (Dewarim 20, 19) מצור, Belagerung und Belagerungswerkzeug (daselbst 19, 20), auch in schützendem Sinne: ערי מצורות (Chron. II, 11. 21) feste Städte, ähnlich wie מצודה, von צוד fangen, sowohl den festen Platz bedeutet, in welchen man jemanden zur Gefangennehmung, als auch in welchen jemand sich selbst zur Vekteidigung einschließt. צור heißt aber auch bilden, formen. ויצר אותו בחרט (Schmot 32. 4), צורתו ,צורותו ,צורת הבית (Ezechiel 43, 11). Ist doch auch ein jedes Formen, Bilden, die feste, bleibende Beschränkung des Stoffes in zweckentsprechende begrenzende Umrisse. צור als Substantiv kommt daher auch außer der Bedeutung Fels als Ausdruck dieses zwiefachen Begriffes der unveränderlichen Festigkeit und der alle anderen Stoffe bewältigenden Härte vor. Ps. 49, 15 bedeutet צור das dem Menschen inwohnende der Verwesung nicht erliegende unsterbliche Teil: וצורם לבלות שאול מזבול לו, und ihr unsterbliches Wesen ist bestimmt, selbst die Gruft zu überdauern, dass dieses ihm keine Stätte sei. Psalm 89, 44 bezeichnet es die harte Schärfe des Schwertes: אף תשיב צור חרבו. Du lässest die Schärfe seines Schwertes zurückprallen, d. i. du nimmst ihm die schneidende Kraft. Auf Gott übertragen ist צור bildlicher Ausdruck für das Unveränderliche und das absolut Bewältigende. Er ist der absolute Urgrund alles Seins und aller Art des Seins. Was er zum Sein bestimmt, findet in Ihm seinen ewigen Halt, und jede von Ihm beabsichtigte Gestaltung gelangt mit absoluter Gewissheit zur Verwirklichung. Daher Jesaias 26, 4 der Satz: בטחו בד׳ עדי עד כי ביה ד׳ צור עולמים. Der zweibuchstabige Gottesname drückt, wie wir dies zu Schmot 15, 2 bemerkt, die sich in siegreicher Bewältigung alles Entgegenstehenden zeigende Gotteskraft aus. Wäre dies die einzige Weise der Gotteswaltung, es würden alle Gestaltungen auf Erden dem Ideale des göttlichen Willens sofort und unwandelbar entsprechen. Sie wären eben das Produkt der unwiderstehlichen göttlichen Willensmacht. Allein, es hat Gott mit der dem Menschen verliehenen Willensfreiheit die Gestaltung Seiner Ziele einer erst in freier Entwicklung, aber darum nicht minder mit absoluter Gewissheit sich verwirklichenden Zukunft — wie dies der vierbuchstabige Name bezeichnet — überwiesen. Daher: "vertrauet auf Gott bis zum endlichen Ziele; denn in יה ד׳ liegt der ewige Halt beider Welten", der jetzigen mit allen ihr noch anhaftenden Unvollkommenheiten, und der einstigen des verwirklichten Gottesideales auf Erden. In Beziehung zu Israel spricht daher die Bezeichnung Gottes als צור die doppelte Gewissheit aus. Israel hat in Gott den ewigen Halt seines geschichtlichen Daseins. Gott will, dass es sei, darum geht es nimmer verloren. Allein Gott will auch eine bestimmte Art seines Seins, die Er ihm in seinem Gesetze offenbart. Diesen Anforderungen kann sich Israel nimmer entziehen. Sie sind ebenso unwandelbar wie Gottes Sein und Wollen. Und welche Geschickeswandlungen Israel auch durchzumachen hat, sie haben alle die endliche Verwirklichung dieser Gottesbestimmungen an Israel und durch Israel zum Ziele, sie sind eben nichts als die gestaltenden Hammerschläge der unwiderstehlichen Gestaltungskraft der göttlichen Waltung, כי ביה ד׳ צור עולמים (vergl. zu Bamidbar 8, 4). — Daher der Name צור das Charakteristikon der שירת האזינו, in ihm liegt der Schlüssel dieses Gottes Waltungen an Israel, mit Israel und durch Israel schauend offenbarenden Gesanges. —

הצור תמים פעלו, “the Rock, His work is perfect;” it is only fair that you will acknowledge His greatness seeing that he is unshakably strong and therefore whatever He has created is perfect; moreover He does not display anger when facing those who are bent to make Him display His anger.

הצור תמים פעליו, “The Rock, all of whose works are perfect;” this is again a reference to the “heaven and earth,” and the four directions on earth, north south, east and west.

אל אמונה A GOD OF FAITHFULNESS — faithful to recompense the righteous their righteousness in the world to come; and even though He defers their recompense, in the end He will prove faithful (אמן) to His promise.

כל דרכיו משפט, all of His paths are justice;

צדיק וישר הוא, as he will explain forthwith when he lists how G’d has dealt Israel by heaping acts of loving kindness upon them. However, they responded with וישמן ישורון ויבעט, becoming fat and instead of showing gratitude they “kicked” i.e. resented having to obey His commandments. (verse 15)

פעלו, “His work;” Ibn Ezra writes that whatever work or masterpiece is performed on earth by any of G’d’s creatures, is by definition deficient, as it was dependent on input by the Creator, whether direct or indirect, and it requires at least the passive tolerance of the Creator in order to function and not to collapse. This is the basic difference between His work and our work, even the most perfect.

Although He delays rewarding them, etc. Rashi is answering the question: Why does Moshe use an expression of “faithfulness”? [Rashi] explains that it refers to the reward given to the righteous, which is for an endless time in the World to Come. Therefore it is appropriate to use the term “faithful.”

Moses continues with אל אמונה ואין עול, "A G'd of faith without iniquity, etc." Our sages in the Sifri understand the word אמונה, to mean "faithful to repay the righteous in the hereafter," and the words אין עול, "without iniquity," they understand as His repaying the wicked for the good they have done in this life. The sages' thinking may be understood when one reads how they interpret Psalms 4,8: "You put joy in my heart when their grain and wine show increase." Midrash Tehillim on this verse explains that when David observed all this he said to himself: "if people who constantly violate many of G'd's commandments fare like this, I, who strive to carry out G'd's will, will most certainly fare at least as well. This is why my heart is filled with joy when I behold the success of the nations." The meaning of אל אמונה then is that the righteous draws additional faith from the way G'd deals with those who are merely Gentiles. The words ואין עול refer to G'd's need to pay the Gentiles their reward in this life as it is the only life they have.

תמים פעלו. Die nach vorstehendem von den Weisen gelehrte Auffassung des Begriffes צור in aktiver Bedeutung einer gestaltenden Tätigkeit findet ihre Bestätigung in der vom צור prädizierten Aussage: תמים פעלו, womit ja eben eine Eigenschaft von seiner Tätigkeit ausgesagt wird. פועל ist nicht nur das Objekt, das Produkt einer schaffenden Tätigkeit: das Werk, sondern auch die schaffende Tätigkeit selbst: das Tun, das Wirken. So Prov. 20, 11 u. 21, 8; Job, 34, 11 und Ruth 2, 12. תמים ist seiner Grundbedeutung nach wesentlich: das Abgeschlossene, Fertige, an dem nichts fehlt (siehe zu Bereschit 17. 1). Es wird hier vom צור עולמים ausgesagt, dass, wenngleich im Verhältnis zu dem zu erreichenden Endziel eine noch in Gestaltung begriffene Gegenwart unvollendet, unvollkommen erscheint, das gestaltende Wirken Gottes doch in jedem Stadium des Schaffens ein abgeschlossenes, höchst vollendetes ist. Das Wirken Gottes ist nicht wie das menschliche Tun ein aus lauter Unvollkommenheiten sich Zusammensetzendes, mühsam sich ergänzend und korrigierend einer Vollendung Zustrebendes. In welchem Momente man das Walten Gottes erfassen möchte, in jedem ist ein Vollendetes, Abgeschlossenes, dem Momente vollkommen Entsprechendes. Während das menschliche Tun in lauter Unvollkommenheiten sich fortbewegt, schreitet Gottes Walten in lauter Unvollkommenheiten fort.

צדיק וישר הוא, “He is righteous and just.” This refers to those human beings that act in accordance with His will. He does not withhold their reward. Seeing that Moses was bent on explaining how G–d takes revenge from those Israelites who deliberately cause Him anger, before doing the same to the gentile nations, he mentioned the righteous and his judgment first.

תמים פעליו, all of G-d’s activities are performed in a perfect manner, as opposed to the works performed by man. When a human being constructs a building it will always be found that when he reviews it, that he had omitted something which needs replacing, adding, removing, or changing. Not so with anything G-d has constructed. One of the reasons man cannot complete something perfectly at the first try is that he has not created the raw materials that he uses in the building’s construction.

ואין עול AND WITHOUT INJUSTICE — even to the wicked He pays the reward for their meritorious deeds, but in this world (Sifrei Devarim 307:11; cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 7:10).

א-ל אמונה, a totally reliable and loyal G’d is He; when He swore to the patriarchs that He would perform deeds of love for their children on account of these patriarchs’ merit;

כי כל דרכיו משפט, “for all His ways are justice.” They are not subject to change, i.e. never need to “improve,” as they have always been correct and perfect. Seeing that His creatures experience different needs at different times, as opposed to their Creator, their works must change from time to time in order to meet changing requirements. G’d’s actions always correspond to His wisdom and glory, both of which are constants.

Even the wicked He rewards, etc. I.e. this verse seems repetitive. Since it is written, “God of faithfulness” then certainly He does not commit injustice. [Therefore Rashi explains that the verse means] that even to the wicked [Hashem acts justly]. One might have thought that Hashem does not pay them their reward, but simply He deducts any mitzvos from their sins, and He punishes only the remaining sins. Therefore it teaches that a sin is not offset by a corresponding mitzvah, but He pays reward for mitzvos in this world. As Scripture writes, “And He pays His enemy to his face [to destroy him]” (Devarim 7:10), in order that he receives their full punishment for his sins in the World to Come.

צדיק וישר הוא. "He is righteous and upright." This is a reference to the fact that G'd the Creator created the universe based on justice, as we know from Proverbs 29,4: "a king sustains earth by justice." Our sages in Tanchuma Shoftim say that G'd swore an oath that He would erect the universe based on justice. On the other hand, we find that He has at least 13 attributes (virtues) which are all various forms of mercy rather than justice. If G'd swore that the universe is based on justice, how does the attribute of Mercy fit into the picture?

כי כל דרכיו משפט, denn alle seine Wege, nicht nur das letzte Ziel, sind משפט: die Ausübung des Rechts, die Verwirklichung dessen, was in jedem Momente dem von seinem Walten Betroffenen gemäß ist. ׳דרכי ד sind wesentlich die Weisen der göttlichen Waltung mit seinen Geschöpfen, insbesondere dem Menschen (siehe Schmot 33, 13). Ps.145, 7 heißt es: צדיק ד׳ בכל דרכיו וחסיד בכל מעשיו. Alle Geschöpfe Gottes sind ein Produkt der göttlichen Liebe, keines hat aus sich einen Anspruch auf das, was es ist und anstrebt. Sein ganzes Dasein ist ja eine freie Spende der schaffenden Gottesliebe. Und doch behandelt es Gott, als ob es einen Anspruch auf Dasein und Wohlsein hätte. Die erste Verleihung seiner schaffenden Liebe war eben dieser Anspruch. — אל אמונה, er ist ein Gott, dem man vertrauen kann, der keinen verlässt, der eben als צור in seiner Unveränderlichkeit immer derselbe bleibt und, auch wo er Gericht übt, nicht nur objektiv dem Rechte gerecht wird, sondern nur das Beste dessen bewirkt, der von seinem משפט betroffen wird. — ואין עול, nie übt er seine Macht an einem Geschöpf lediglich um seine Macht zu üben. So verschwindend klein die Machtsumme der ganzen Welt gegen ihren Schöpfer und Meister ist, so wird doch an dem kleinsten Geschöpf von Ihm keine Gewalt geübt.

כי כל דרכיו משפט, “for all His ways are just;” Moses wants to tell the Jewish people that although in the limited time that man spends on earth he cannot always live long enough; however, all that G-d has planned works out perfectly in the end, the fact is that G-d judges His people first for their wrong doings, (something that results in their repentance and rehabilitation) whereas He deals with the gentile nations later but they will not then have a chance to rehabilitate themselves.) The details of how this works will be spelled out in the verses following.

צדיק וישר הוא — The meaning is: All acknowledge His judgment to be just (צדיק), and this is befitting and right of them (ישר), i.e., He is declared צדיק by the mouth of men, וישר, and it is right for them to declare Him צדיק, as righteous.

ואין עול, never false, even when He visits retribution on you.

א-ל אמונה, “a G’d of Faith,” He alone possesses the virtue of Truth in an absolute degree, able to keep faith, as opposed to His creatures, however well intentioned, as their power was on “loan” from a higher source, and they can be deprived of it at a moment’s notice.

Everyone justifies His judgment, etc. I.e. [Rashi] wishes to explain the term “righteous, etc.” The term “righteous” is said in conjunction with someone who acquires perfection on his own. And Heaven forbid, this term is totally not appropriate to use concerning the Holy One, Blessed Is He (Heaven forbid). Rashi answers that [the term means that] everyone justifies His judgment...” Re”m explains that Rashi needed to explain that “everyone justifies the judgment, etc.” because it is impossible say that the verse is testifying about the righteousness of Hashem, for one would never even consider the opposite to be true. How much more so after [the verse] states pertaining to Hashem, that He is “a God of faithfulness, without injustice.” But since one could might err and say that the words “righteous” and “upright” are descriptions of the Holy One, Blessed Is He, therefore Rashi explained that both of these terms are descriptions that people ascribe to Hashem, etc. In other words, everyone accepts His judgment as being righteous.

We have to understand this on the following basis. When G'd first assumed His seat of justice He placed justice on its appropriate place. When it came to executing justice, G'd allowed Himself to be influenced by considerations of mercy. David described this in Psalms 145,17: "whereas G'd is righteous (just) in all His paths, He is pious (flexible) in His actions." In other words, G'd first established what justice demanded under the given circumstances, but He made allowances before carrying out the demands of strict justice." When man entreats G'd He will show him mercy צדיק וישר הוא. "He is righteous and upright." He is righteous by judging justly. When the Talmud asks in Avodah Zarah 6 whether it it is not impossible that Noach could have been "treifah," seeing he is described in the Torah as "perfect," the Talmud retorts that the word תמים did not necessarily refer to his being unblemished physically (able to live for 12 months) but it could refer to his character being unblemished. Rashi comments on this that Noach was righteous in his דרכיו, "his attitude was guided by justice." All of this was only the original attitude. Afterwards G'd is ישר, more accomodating to man than required by the strict rules of justice as our sages in Baba Metzia 16 explain based on Deut. 6,18.

(אמונה siehe Bereschit 15, 6; עול siehe Wajikra 19, 35). — צדיק וישר הוא, dieser צור עולמים, in der absoluten Festigkeit seines Wollens und der absoluten Festigkeit seines Seins, ist gerecht in seinem Wollen und gerad in seinem Sein. Nicht nur seine Ziele sind die rechten, auch seine Wege zum Ziele sind recht. Er übt das Rechte auf geradem Wege, Geradheit ist sein Wesen.

צדיק, because He is so righteous He will not abandon you even in exile

ואין עול, “without iniquity;” seeing that He is a G’d of perfect loyalty, keeping faith, how could there be any iniquity associated with Him?

And it is befitting to justify Him. I.e. it is befitting for people to do so. The phrase “and upright” refers to the people. But one cannot say that “and upright” refers to the Holy One, Blessed Is He, since the word “righteous” refers to the people and not to the Holy One, Blessed Is He. Similarly the phrase, “and upright” also refers to the people, and not to the Holy One, Blessed Is He. This is simple to understand.

Diese allgemeinen Waltungsweisen des Horts der Welten, sie bewähren sich auch in seinen Waltungsbeziehungen zu Israel.

וישר הוא, not withholding from anyone of His creatures the reward due to it for any good deeds. This is the reason why He often appears as being overly patient before He pays back certain people for their sins. He has to reward, pay, those who hate Him while they are still on earth as they have already forfeited any portion they claimed to life in the hereafter.

שחת לו — Take it as the Targum has it: חבילו להון לא לה “Corruption is theirs, not His”.

THE CORRUPTION WAS TOWARDS HIM; THEY ARE NOT HIS CHILDREN [BECAUSE OF] THEIR BLEMISH. The blemish is called “corruption,” as it is said, their corruption is in them, there is a blemish in them,¹²Leviticus 22:25. Here the word “corruption” is clearly associated with “blemish.” and similarly, and he sacrificeth unto the Eternal ‘a corrupted’ thing,¹³Malachi 1:14. [which means “a blemished” thing]. He [Moses] thus states that the blemish of Israel is the corruption towards the Rock of His people and His inheritance, and [therefore] he calls them not His children, just as, in an acceptable time¹⁴Isaiah 49:8. [a time when they conduct themselves properly] he calls them “His children.”¹⁵See above, 14:1. He states that they are a generation crooked and perverse, for crookedness is the opposite of uprightness, similar to what is said, and they make crooked all equity,¹⁶Micah 3:9. The text reads: v’eith kol hayesharah ye’akeishu. The contrast between yashar (straight) and akeish (crooked) is thus clear. and the perverse is the opposite of the righteous. Consequently, since He is just and right¹⁷Verse 4. and they are the opposite of that, they are not [considered] His children; rather, they are considered by Him to be corrupted. And the sequence of the verse is thus: “their corruption towards Him — which is their blemish — has caused them not to be considered His children, [for they are] a generation crooked and perverse.” The sense thereof is that the dimunition of their status did not result from the deed of the Rock, for He is perfect and there can never be imperfection in Him, but it is their blemish that corrupts them before their Father. And the meaning of the expression not His children is like And I will say to them that were not My people: ‘Thou art My people.’¹⁸Hosea 2:25. The expression not His ‘children’ is thus identical with not His ‘people.’ Similarly, They have aroused Me to jealousy with a no-god,¹⁹Further, Verse 21. meaning, with something that is not a god. So also, and they have sworn by no-gods.²⁰Jeremiah 5:7. Or it may be that the verse here states: “The corruption towards Him is their blemish, that they are not His children, for they are a generation crooked and perverse, the opposite of Him.”

שחת לו לא בניו מומם דור עקש ופתלתול, however, a twisted and perverse generation He does not view as His true children, such as when they made the golden calf. מומם, their blemish was not due to anything G’d had done Moses recalls that when G’d first told him about the people having become corrupt during his stay on the mountain that they were “your people” (Exodus 32,7), that although Moses, when accepting the conversion of the mixed multitude to Judaism had meant to sanctify the name of G’d, the fact was that instead of becoming a shining example to the world, these people had corrupted what would otherwise have been a kingdom of Priests. They had re-introduced idolatry among these people so recently weaned from it.

שחת לו לא בניו מומם, "Its corruption caused them no longer to be His fit children due to their blemish." When they become corrupt they cause harm to themselves. They are no longer called the children of the living G'd as our sages have said in Baba Batra 10: "as long as the children of Israel follow the path of G'd they are called "children;" if they stray, they are called "slaves." Moses mentions that if Israel becomes corrupt vis-a-vis G'd they are no longer His children. He adds the word מומם, their blemish, to remind Israel that if it does become blemished the fault is not with G'd but with themselves. Moses had to add this so that one would not conclude that the blemish found in the Israelites must eventually be traced back to G'd Himself, to their origin. G'd had created man, i.e. Israel, ישר, morally upright; we know this from Isaiah 5,1 where G'd describes Himself as "having owned a vineyard on a fruitful hill. He broke the ground, cleared it of stones and planted it with choice vines, etc. etc. Instead it yielded wild grapes." In other words, the corruption, the blemish, developed out of the people not out of their association with G'd. We are told in Sotah 3 that one does not commit a sin until after one's mind has been invaded by a streak of madness. This is the mystical dimension of Deut. 15,21 מום רע, "a severe blemish." The continued presence of this blemish is attributable exclusively to the deeds of man.

שחת לו, Israel induced its own corruption as the prophet Hoseah said in Hoseah 13,9 שחתך ישראל כי בי בעזרך, “You have caused yourself all your own injuries, corruption, for from Me you had received only help, assistance.”

שחת לו לא בניו מומם, ”Corruption is not His, the blemish is His children’s.” Nachmanides explains that the verse can best be understood if we read it as if it had been written in the sequence: מומם שחת אותם לו, ”His children’s blemishes have made them corrupt for Him, so much so that He no longer refers to them as His children.”

דור עקש ופתלתל, “a perverse and twisted generation.” Now Moses addresses his people, calling them by an unflattering description. These words belong together with the words in the next verse הלה' תגמלו זאת, “are you really going to repeat the mistakes of Adam, Kayin and Hevel and act likewise against Hashem?” (The author states that the period sign after the word פתלתל does not present an obstacle to how he reads these two verses). Seeing that Moses had already told the people in 31,29 that he foresaw how they would become corrupt after his death and serve idols after the death of Joshua, he now urgently warns them against pursuing such a path.

They destroy themselves, not Him. This means “And not Him, not the Holy One, Blessed Is He.” This is what the verse means: “They destroy.” And who have they destroyed? It continues, “not Him,” i.e. not the Holy One, Blessed Is He. Based on this [reading] the term, “Him” is connected to the word, “not” which follows it, rather than to the word “destructiveness.” Based on the words of the verse, [Onkelos] should have translated as “and to Him not.” Instead he translated it based on common usage. He had to add the word, “themselves” after the word “destructiveness” because otherwise, this the verse would not be understandable. For whom did they destroy? And the phrase “not Him” would not fit in since we do not know who they destroyed? (Re”m)

V. 5. שחת לו לא בניו מומם, ein Satz, dessen Verständnis erhebliche Schwierigkeiten bietet. Man pflegt diese fünf Worte in zwei, oder selbst drei Sätze zu teilen, und zwar das שִחֵת mehr als Substantiv zu fassen, wie והדִבֵר אין בהם (Jirm. 5, 13). Entweder: das Verderben ist nicht ihm (ist nicht sein); seine Söhne, ihrer ist der Fehl. Oder: das Verderben ist es ihm? (ist es sein?) nein! seine Söhne, ihrer ist der Fehl. Gegen die erste Auffassung spricht, dass, soweit wir glauben, nirgends die Negation לא dem zu Negierendem nachfolgt, es hätte heißen müssen: שחת לא לו. Der zweiten steht entgegen, dass der Akzent in der Regel wohl Satzteile, nicht aber Sätze trennt. Auch für die Auffassung der Worte בניו מומם in beiden Erklärungen spricht weder der Akzent noch die Konstruktion. Verstehen wir ferner diese Auffassungen recht, so wäre שחת nicht das sittliche Verderbnis, sondern das in Folge derselben eingebrochene soziale und politische Verderben das Unglück. Dem gegenüber müsste denn auch מום also verstanden werden. מום ist aber nur ein persönlicher, gewöhnlich ja leiblicher Fehler, und kann sehr wohl auch auf sittliche Gebrechen übertragen sein, schwerlich aber individuelles oder allgemeines Unglück bedeuten. Vergleichen wir endlich die ganz gleiche Akzentuation מרכבת פרעה וחילו ירה בים (Schmot 15, 4), כי רחק ממני מנחם משיב נפשי (Klagel. 1,16). כאשר עוללת לי על כל פשעי (daselbst 22), השיב אחור ימינו אויב (daselbst 2, 3), בדמי ימי אלכה בשערי שאול (Jes.35, 10). Oder auch: פצו עלינו פיהם כל אויבינו ,כי לא יזנח לעולם ד׳ ,צוד צדוני כצפר איבי חנם (Klagel. 3, 31 u. 46, 52), so werden wir uns veranlasst sehen, auch שחת לו לא בניו מומם nur als einen Satz aufzufassen, und zwar מומם als Subjekt, שחת לו als Prädikat, לא בניו Adverbialbestimmung zu שחת .שחת Präteritum von שחת im Sinne sittlichen Verderbnisses wie כי שחת עמך (Schmot 32, 7) מומם: der ihnen von Alters her anhaftende Charakterfehler עם קשה עורף, der im folgenden durch דור עקש ופתלתול umschrieben wird. Also: Verderbt hat sie ihm bis zu Nichtkindern ihr alter Fehler: דור עקש ופתלתול. Die Stellen ומעקשים למישור. (Jes.42, 16), ואת כל הישרה יעקשו (Micha 3, 9) usw. lassen in עקש einen Gegensatz zum ישר erkennen. פתל haben wir bereits wiederholt in der Bedeutung einer durch festes inneres Zusammenhalten bewirkten Absonderung von andern erkannt (siehe zu Bereschit 30, 8; Bamidbar 15, 38 u. 19, 15). Auf den Charakter übertragen ist עקש die allem Geraden sich widersetzende Krümme, auch Gegensatz von תם. So תם אני ויעקשני (Job. 9, 20); vergl. Ps.18, 27. פתלתול: der jeder Gesetzesleitung widerstreitende Ungehorsam.

שחת לו, לא בניו, “Is corruption His? No, His children’s is the blemish. What Moses is explaining is that if His children, the Jewish people perform corrupt deeds, it is not He who will suffer from this; the fallout of their evil deeds will leave a blemish on the children of those who have performed these deeds. They will bear the shame of the deeds of their fathers. This is also the meaning of the Targum on this verse. Rabbi Moses from Pontresia was bothered by the fact that if this interpretation is correct the Torah should have spelled the two words lo in the reverse manner, i.e. לא, לו. As a result, he interpreted the meaning as follows: “the blemish will not adhere to their children, but to them who have performed the corrupt deeds.” This is also what the prophet Hosea said in Hoseah 2,4: כי היא לא אשתי והם לא בני כי בני זנונים המה, “for she is not My wife and I am not her husband, for they are the brood of harlotry.” [though bastards cannot be blamed for the deeds of their progenitors. Ed.]

שחת לו לא בניו, “Is corruption His? No His children’s is the blemish.” Did G-d cause them to become corrupted, so that they would no longer be His children? Compare Hoseah 2,1: !לא עמי אתם, “You are not My people!” Rather it was your sins which have made you corrupt, so that you are no longer fit to be identified with your “father” in heaven.

בניו מומם HIS CHILDREN, THEIR FAULT — i.e., they were His children, and the corruption which they wrought is their fault.

לא, no one else is to blame;

דור עקש ופתלתול, “a perverse and twisted generation.” Moses explains the reason why none of this has a negative effect on the Creator as being that since He is perfect, He can –metaphorically speaking- be compared to a Rock that was constructed to be perfect forever. It will not develop weaknesses, faults, etc. However, the Israelites’ blemishes will expose themselves to their enemies with dire consequences.

His erstwhile children, etc. Rashi is asking: Why does He call them “His children” after they had sinned?

דור עקש ופתלתל, "a perverse and twisted generation." If the generation were smitten only with perversion the words of Torah might suffice to straighten out these people. Who is responsible for the people to have become so twisted? None other than their inherent tendency to be stiff-necked, not to be willing to admit they had been mistaken. It is tragic to be a witness to all kinds of heresy being rampant during these generations and whenever someone comes along and tries to straighten out the misguided thinking of these heretics they become reinforced and even more entrenched in their heresy. This leads to these people losing their homeland.

בניו מומם, “His children have become blemished, have caused it themselves;” Compare Leviticus 22,25, (according to Seforno) כי משחתם בהם מום בם, “for their corruption is within them, not only external.”

בניו מומם means: it was the fault of His children not His fault.

בניו מומם, the word מומם is an alternate for שחת ישראל, i.e. a repetition of the same thought, their corruption. Similarly, the wordבניו is an alternate for ישראל, in other words, G’d’s children are themselves to blame for their having become corrupt. If we needed further proof for the meaning of the word שחת, we find it in Leviticus 22,25 כי משחתם בהם מום בם “for their mutilation, defectiveness is inherent in them etc.”

The defect was His children’s, not His defect. Rashi is answering the question: Why is it written “their defect” rather than simply, “defect”? In which case the phrase, “His children” would refer back to “destructiveness” as if to say, “His children destroyed.” For this reason he translated “They destroy themselves” as if to say, “The children destroyed themselves, not He, and that is their defect,” i.e., the defect does not pertain to Him. This means the same as the phrase above, “destructiveness does not apply to Him.” The verse repeats itself using different words, as is the style in poems and prophecies. (Re”m)

דור עקש means, [A] CROOKED AND PERVERTED [GENERATION]. עקש has the same meaning as the verb in (Micah 3:9) “and pervert (יעקשו) all equity”. In Mishnaic Hebrew we have (Chullin 56a): a weasel whose teeth are bent and crooked (עקושות).

And winds around a pendant. In the same way that they make a wick for an oil lamp, where they wrap around a [strand of] straw.

ופתלתל entortille in old French, Engl, twisted: like a thread (פתיל), which one twines and twists round the central strand. The word פתלתל is of the “doubled” words (in which the two last letters are the same), like (Leviticus 13:49): ירקרק. אדמדם; (Psalms 38:31): סחרחר; (‎1 Kings 7:23; Targum Jonathan on): סגלגל‎.

הלה׳ תגמלו זאת DO YOU THUS REQUITE THE LORD? — This Is an expression of astonishment: Do you mean to grieve Him Who has the power to punish you, and Who has bestowed all these favours upon you?

AM NAVAL’ (A FOOLISH PEOPLE), AND NOT WISE. “A foolish people — that has forgotten [all] the good that He has done for them. And not wise to understand the result [of their actions], that it is in His power to do them good or evil.” This is Rashi’s language. Now, Onkelos rendered [am naval]: “a people that has received the Torah, [and who are not wise],” deriving it from [the expression] navol tibol²¹Exodus 18:18. These are Jethro’s words to Moses that he will become weary in attending alone to all the people’s problems. which he translated milah thilei (“thou wilt surely become weary”). Thus the verse here states: “it is a people weary of the observance of the Torah and they are not wise [enough to realize] that it is for their eternal good.” Similarly Onkelos rendered b’goi naval²²Further, Verse 21. — “with a foolish people,” apathetic in becoming wise or people of faith. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra interpreted: “Naval (foolish) in deeds, and not wise in heart.”
In my opinion he who performs an unrequired act [of goodness or kindness] is called nadiv (generous), while he who repays his benefactor with evil is called naval (a vile person). And so it is stated, ‘L’naval’ (the vile person) will no longer be called ‘nadiv’ (generous),²³Isaiah 32:5. In other words, flattery will be extinct in Israel. for one is the opposite of the other. Therefore it was said of Nabal the Carmelite, for as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and ‘n’valah’ (vileness) is with him.²⁴I Samuel 25:25. For David did him a great favor — he guarded all his belongings — and he [Nabal] did not want to pay him any recompense; instead, he shouted at his [David’s] messengers²⁵Ibid., Verse 14. and disgraced them. And this is the sense of the verse concerning [G-d’s words to] the friends of Job: [And my servant Job shall pray for you; for him alone will I receive favorably,] so as not to do unto you ‘n’valah’ (an unseemly act) [because you have not spoken of Me properly, as My servant Job hath;]²⁶Job 42:8. The gist of Ramban’s thought is as follows: Since Job’s friends defended G-d’s providence, it would appear, in the eyes of the unlearned, as an unseemly act if they were to be punished, although they were to be blamed for having spoken certain things which were not right nor true. since they had defended the deed of the glorious and fearful Name,²⁷Above, 28:58. saying it was done justly, and if He were to punish them now, it would appear as n’valah (an unseemly act).²⁶Job 42:8. The gist of Ramban’s thought is as follows: Since Job’s friends defended G-d’s providence, it would appear, in the eyes of the unlearned, as an unseemly act if they were to be punished, although they were to be blamed for having spoken certain things which were not right nor true.
It is possible that the term naval is used [for a vile person] because he is an inferior type of a human being, just as the expression as an oak whose leaf ‘noveleth’²⁸Isaiah 1:30. which means “falls” [because it withered. Thus, the word noveleth (withers), spelled with a beth, is related to nofeleth (falls) spelled with a fei. Similarly, a person who is nofel, “falls” short of acceptable standards of conduct, is referred to as naval.] A dead animal is called n’veilah because “it falls” upon the earth and dies, just as it is said, to see the ‘mapeleth’ (carcass) of the lion.²⁹Judges 14:8. If so, Scripture states here: “Do you thus requite G-d for all the good He has done for you? It is an am naval that repays evil for good, and unwise not to know that they have wrought this evil unto themselves,”³⁰Isaiah 3:9. and not to G-d. It is similar to what is stated, If thou hast sinned, what doest thou against Him? And if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto Him? If thou be righteous, what givest thou Him? or what receiveth He of thy hand?³¹Job 35:6-7. For G-d is thy Father,³²Verse 6 before us. Who brought you forth and raised you; and He is ‘konecha,’³²Verse 6 before us. Who made you a kinyan (a possession), for He brought you forth from nothingness and you became a being, and every tangible reality can be acquired as a possession. [Therefore, the word koneh is used interchangeably to mean “make” or “create” and “acquire” as shown in the following examples.] It is similar to what is said, The Eternal ‘kanani’ (made) me as the beginning of His way;³³Proverbs 8:22. likewise, ‘Koneih’ (Maker) of heaven and earth,³⁴Genesis 14:19. as I have explained.³⁵Ibid., (Vol. I, pp. 190-191). And He created you, made thee, and established thee,³²Verse 6 before us. similar to the expression, and One fashioned us in the womb.³⁶Job 31:15.

הלה' תגמלו זאת, after G’d had planned to make you superior over all other nations, is it indeed imaginable that you would respond by frustrating His intention by desecrating His name and to thereby prevent G’d from realising His declared intention when He created man that he should reflect the image of G’d? (Genesis 1,26)

הלה׳ תגמלו זאת, "Is this the way you repay the Lord?" The reason Moses employs the term גמול, "compensation," [something that does not really apply in our relationship with G'd. Ed.] is that instead of our going out of our way by showing appreciation for what G'd has done for us we do the very reverse.

?תגמלו זאת, Moses asks rhetorically, if one repays G’d for His kindness by worshipping idols? Besides,

עם נבל ולא חכם, “a vile people, one devoid of wisdom.” Rashi explains this to refer to their having forgotten all the Good Hashem had done for them. Nachmanides, refers to Onkelos’ translation “a nation that had received the Torah and had not become wise by observing it but had treated it as if it tired them out, had exhausted them instead of uplifting them.” They failed to benefit from what was designed to ensure their enduring success. Ibn Ezra says that the word נבל refers to their deed, whereas the words ולא חכם refers to their heart. Personally, (Nachmanides continuing) I believe that when someone does good without expecting or wanting compensation by the recipient, he is described as נדיב, generous. If someone repays favours done to him with ingratitude, or worse, instead, he is described as נבל. This is the meaning of Isaiah 32,5 לא יקרא עוד לנבל נדיב , “no more shall the villain be called noble;” This is why it was said about נבל of Mount Carmel, [first husband of Avigail, a notoriously bombastic and tightfisted individual, compare Samuel I chapter 25. Ed.] ונבלה עמו, (Samuel I 25,25) that his name aptly expressed his vile character. David had protected his property at a time when he was hunted and had to survive as best he could. Instead of being grateful, Naval repaid him with animosity and disdain. Not only were the Israelites ingrates, they were also foolish by putting their trust instead of in Hashem in all kinds of impotent idols, the ones worshipped by the neighbouring peoples. Did they not even realise that by sinning they could not harm the G’d against Whom they sinned?

Base people lacking wisdom. A dead animal is called a neveila [literally “worn out,” “destroyed”] because it has lost its living spirit. Just as the word “neveila” refers to the loss of physical form and energy, so too it applies to a loss of spiritual form. Through actions which destroy a person’s splendid human form, whether he destroys his own self-respect through his actions, or destroys the honor and value of others.

Is it before Him that you cause displeasure, etc. This means that you are performing acts which are displeasing. Why is it not fitting to act in such a fashion? Because Hashem has the power to seek punishment from you. And furthermore, He has provided you with everything that is good. You should not ask from where Rashi knows that these are the two reasons that [Moshe] said to them? For you can answer, as [Moshe] continues to explain, as it is written, “A base people” who have forgotten that which was done for them, all the goodness that He did for them. And “lacking in wisdom” to understand the consequences, i.e. that He has the power to seek punishment from you, as He did to the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion [Tower of Bavel] and to the people of Sedom. From this we see that the phrase “Is it before Him [that you cause displeasure], etc.” includes both of these two reasons.

V. 6. ה לד׳ וגו׳. Das ה ist groß und als ein Wort für sich geschrieben. Also so viel als: Frage. Vergegenwärtigen wir uns, dass nach Kap. 31, 19 u. 20 die שירה zunächst bestimmt ist, dem Bewusstsein des Volkes mit dem Zeugnis der Wahrheit in solchen Zeitmomenten entgegenzutreten, in welchen bereits eine Wucht von durch seinen Abfall provozierten Leiden über es hereingebrochen, es aber, statt sich und seinen Abfall von Gott anzuklagen, seinen Gott anklagt, dass der nicht mehr wie in besseren Zeiten seine schützende und rettende Gegenwart in seiner Mitte bekundet: so haben wir wohl die Verse 4-6 im Zusammenhange also aufzufassen. In den Kreis des unter seinen Leiden seufzenden und seinen Gott ob seiner Wandelung anklagenden Volkes tritt das שירה-Wort mit der Bezeugung hin: הצור, felsenfest, unwandelbar in seinem Sein und Wollen ist euer Gott, Er ist immer derselbe und immer dasselbe ist sein Tun. Jeder Moment seiner über euch ergehenden und an euch sich vollziehenden Verhängnisse, ist eine in sich vollendete, auf Recht und Gerechtigkeit beruhende, ebenso wie euer früheres Glück nur euer und der Gesamtmenschheit Bestes erzielende Tat. Nicht Er hat sich verändert, ihr habt euch verändert, euer Geschick ist ein anderes geworden und bekundet Gottes rettende Wundermacht an euch nicht mehr, weil ihr die nicht mehr seid, weil ihr den Charakter verloren, dessen Dasein seine Gegenwart in eurer Mitte bedingt. שחת, euer alter Fehler einer mit Gottes absolutem Willen in Widerstreit ringenden Ungefügsamkeit hat euch zu solcher Entartung gebracht, dass man euch gar nicht mehr als seine Kinder erkennt. Da הַ, da gibt es nur eine Frage, da solltet ihr, statt Gott anklagen, nur an euch selber die Frage richten, und diese einzige Frage sollte in großer Frakturschrift euch stets vor Augen schweben: ?לד׳ תגמלו זאת Das sollte die ganze Frucht sein, die ihr Gott aus allem, was er für euch und an euch getan, reifen ließet?! Wie könnt ihr glauben, dass Gott deshalb für euch und an euch so Großes, so unter allen übrigen Völkern eigenartig Großes getan hätte und fortfahren würde zu tun, damit ihr am Ende allen übrigen Völkern gleich in geistige und sittliche Verkommenheit entartet?

עם נבל, “they are a people who repay benefits received with disloyalty;”

?הלה' תגמלו זאת, ”is this how you requite the Lord?” Do you repay His favours to you by worshipping other deities?

עם נבל A FOOLISH PEOPLE — i.e., a people that has forgotten all that has been done to them,

עם נבל, a contemptible nation, repaying generosity of the most lavish kind by ingratitude.

קנך, He is your owner; He acquired you when He liberated you from bondage to the Egyptians

As He took possession of you. This is a word meaning acquisition (קנין).

עם נבל ולא חכם, "a nation which is vile and unwise!" Why does the Torah contrast two characteristics which are not opposites? Vileness is not the opposite of lack of wisdom! Moses means that even though they may be a vile people by nature, if at least they possessed some wisdom they would not display their vileness vis-a-vis G'd! The vile recognises that the fact that he is vile is to his detriment and therefore he would not display such a trait.

גמל (siehe zu Bereschit Kap. 21, 8.) — נבל ,עם נבל ולא חכם (siehe zu Bereschit 34, 7 und Schmot 18, 17). Im Zusammenhange mit der Frage הלד׳ תגמלו זאת tritt die eigentliche Bedeutung von נבל in voller Prägnanz hervor. Beide bezeichnen ja ursprünglich Beziehungen des Pflanzenlebens, גמל die vollendete Fruchtreife, נבל das fruchtversagende Welken. Alles, was Gott für Israel und an Israel getan, die besonderen Führungen der Geschicke wie die Lehren und Vorschriften seines Gesetzes, alles hatte den einen Zweck, die Saaten des Lichts und des Lebens in Geist und Gemüt des Volkes zu streuen, die in Früchten der Erkenntnis und der Tat im Einzel- und Gesamtleben aufgehen sollten. Das Volk aber ist נבל, ist geistig und sittlich welk geworden. Die mit so vielen Veranstaltungen begonnene Gottespflanzung hat es noch bevor sie zur Blüte aufgehen konnte "welk" werden lassen, und steht es, statt ein mustergültiges Volksleben zu entwickeln, als עם נבל, als ein geistig und sittlich abgewelktes Volk da, ולא חכם, das keineswegs, wie es sich dünkt und wie es in der Mitte der Völker ein עם חכם ונבון (Kap. 4, 6) hätte sein sollen, "weise" ist, nicht, wie ja חכם bedeutet (siehe Schmot Kap. 25) die gegebenen Wahrheiten in sich aufgenommen, aus welchen allein wahre Erkenntnisse und richtige Grundsätze fürs Leben sich ergeben. So auch im עם נבל לשעבר ולא חכם לעתיד לבא :ספרי.

ולא חכם, “and they are not a wise nation.” They imagine that they are smart and can escape the consequences of their deeds.

ולא חכם, ”you surely are most unwise!” You have not acquired any wisdom. The word is a verb, i.e. החכים, “he became wise.” The reason why we have two vowels kametz here is on account of the phrase here terminating with the dividing cantillation sign etnachta.

ולא חכם AND NOT WISE to consider what will result from their actions, viz., that it is in His power to do them good or evil according to their actions (cf. Siphre).

ולא חכם, pursuing a policy while not considering its ultimate result.

As He settled you in a nest of rock mass, etc. The word קננך comes from קן (nest). It is written [in the Torah] as קנך which denotes “acquisition,” so how does this fit in with the term “Your Father”? The expression of “acquisition” does not apply to a father [relationship]! Therefore Rashi [initially] explains that it is related to “nest.” Then Rashi’s difficulty is that if it means “nest” there should have been a chirik under the letter koof, and the nun should have a dagesh, similar to the phrase, “Like an eagle who rouses his nest (קנו) (v. 11). Therefore Rashi explains the word as meaning “perfecting” (תקון). Do not ask how Rashi knows it is from the word תקון (perfecting) rather than from קנין (acquisition) and קן (nest), because if so it should have been vocalized with a cholem=קונך, similar to the phrase “Possessor (קונה) of heaven and earth” (Bereishis 14:22). And it cannot be explained only as meaning “perfecting” (תקון) and “settling in a nest” (קן) and not meaning “acquisition” (קננך), because if so it is missing a letter tav from תקון. Perforce it is a word derived from [a combination of] all three words.

This is more or less what Moses meant when he added: הלא הוא אביך קונך, "Isn't G'd the One Who is your father and the One Who owns you?" Moses makes 4 distinctions here. 1) Seeing that G'd created man, he calls G'd "your father." 2) He acquired all of us as His slaves when He took us out of bondage in Egypt, and revived us in the desert and brought us to the Holy Land, a land full of goodness. This then is the meaning of קנך. 3) He awarded us an additional and superior gift, i.e. His Presence amongst us and the availability of prophets in our midst. This is what Moses meant when he said הוא עשך, "He has made you." G'd has added a new element to your life, something no other living beings enjoy. 4) He has equipped us with an automatic entrance card to the hereafter, life's main arena. How could even a vile nation be prepared to jeopardise all these advantages unless they were foolish also?

הלא הוא אביך קנך, wenn er dich sein eigen nennt und über all dein Sein und Wollen, über alle deine inneren und äußeren Kräfte und Mittel in seinem Gesetze disponiert, hat er nicht ein Recht dazu und sollte dir nicht zugleich das unerschütterliche Bewusstsein inne wohnen, dass er mit allen diesen Verfügungen, mit allen Anforderungen und Versagungen nur dein Bestes will! Ist es doch dein Vater, der also über dich verfügt, bist du doch ganz eigentlich völkergeschichtlich sein Erzeugtes. Dein ganzes völkergeschichtliches Dasein ist ausschließlich sein Werk. Ohne Ihn wärst du überall nicht da. Inmitten der sich gestaltenden Völkerbildungen hat allein Er vom ersten unscheinbarsten, individuellsten Anfang grundlegend dich zum Volke erzeugt und erzogen. Was andere als Menschen sind, bist du zugleich als Volk: Gottes Geschöpf. Er hat also ein ausschließliches Recht an dich, und zugleich bürgt dieser dein ganzer Ursprung dir, dass was Er, dein Vater, von dir fordert, nur deine, seines von ihm erzeugten Kindes, Wohlfahrt bezweckt.

קנך, from תקון, healthy, in good condition. Compare Psalms 78,54: הר זה קנתה ימינו, “His right hand had acquired this mountain.”

הלא הוא אביך קנך IS NOT HE THY FATHER קנך? The last word may mean: Who has acquired (קנה) thee, or, Who has placed thee (more lit., made thee nest, קנן) in a nest of rocks and in strong ground, or. Who has fitted you out (תקן) with everything that will benefit you.

הלא הוא אביך קנך, He is not like a natural father who had no control over the type of son he had sired, but had to leave this to chance; G’d deliberately adopted the Jewish people giving them the kind of existence that would make Him proud to be called your “owner,” and made Him look forward to achieve His aim in creating mankind through you. Had He not made you into a nation you would have remained an insignificant tribe of sorts.

A nation among nations. Rashi is answering the question: How is this praise, that Hashem made them? Did He not make the entire world?! Therefore Rashi explains “a nation among nations,” means that Hashem chose you from among all the nations of the world.

הוא עשך ויכוננך (vergl. כוננו חצם על יתר Ps.11, 2 und כחצים ביד גבור כן בני הנעורים Ps.127, 3), wenn er dir, deinem ganzen Sein und Wollen, mit seinen Gesetzen die Richtung geben will, die Ziele anweist, die dein ganzes Wesen mit allem, was du dein nennst, anstreben soll, so vergiss doch nicht, dass הוא עשך ויכוננך, dass der, der dir diese Ziele anweist, dich ja gebildet hatte, ehe er dir diese Ziele anwies, er dich somit für diese Ziele gebildet hat, sie somit ganz eigentlich diejenigen sind und ausschließlich sind, die deinem Wesen und deiner Bestimmung entsprechen.

הוא עשך HE HATH MADE THEE a nation among the nations of the world,

ויכוננך, He equipped you with the basic ingredients to enable you to become the precious nation He mentioned prior to the revelation at Mount Sinai.

With every kind of basis and foundation. The word כן (foundation) is also a word meaning “basis,” but בסיס is Aramaic and כן is Hebrew.

ויכננך AND HATH ESTABLISHED THEE afterwards on every kind of firm base and foundation (כן) (i.e. made you self-contained): out of your midst come your priests, out of your midst your Levites, and out of your midst your kings — a city in which is everything (Sifrei Devarim 309:7; Chullin 56b).

Some of you are kohanim, some prophets, some kings, etc. Which is not true with other nations, who take a king from a different land.

Remember world history. Remember that the world was created in six days, and protect it so that it does not become destroyed. Study the generational epochs. This refers to two sets of ten generations; from Adam until Noach, and from Noach until Avraham. Consider that if Hashem is patient, and does not punish immediately, this may lead you to think that there is no Judge and no justice. Perhaps you will decide, as a result, to act wickedly. Know that you are trusting in lies, and understand from those generations who angered Hashem until eventually he destroyed them with the flood, and until Avraham came along and received the reward of all of them.

זכר ימות עולם REMEMBER THE DAYS OF OLD — what He did to previous generations who provoked Him to anger,

ASK THY FATHER — “this alludes to those who understand [the events of former days], and so thine elders [and they will tell thee — for they too, understand the past]. The purport thereof is, as he stated, which the Eternal thy G-d hath allotted them etc.,³⁷Above, 4:19. since for each portion below, [i.e., each nation on earth] there is a [counterpart] portion on high. And the meaning of the expression [He set the borders of the peoples] according to the number of the children of Israel³⁸Verse 8. is that the image of Jacob is inscribed in the Throne of Glory, this being a great secret. And the proof for this is For the portion of the Eternal is His people,³⁹Verse 9. this being a great distinction which He hath not dealt so with any nation.⁴⁰Psalms 147:20. Therefore, he said, Do ye thus requite the Eternal, O foolish people and unwise?⁴¹Verse 6. — a people that has fallen from its distinction because of its foolishness. And the meaning of the expression thy Father that hath gotten thee⁴¹Verse 6. is, that He created you for His honor and taught you, as he explains, as a father does for his son.” Thus far is the language of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra. The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious.⁴²Ecclesiastes 10:12. Ramban thus gives his approbation to Ibn Ezra’s words.
If so, the meaning of Remember the days of old⁴³In Verse 7 before us. is that they apply their hearts to remember the six days of Creation, the good He did them at the time of the formation [of the nations], as he goes on to say When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance etc.³⁸Verse 8. Consider the years of many generations⁴³In Verse 7 before us. — that they contemplate in order to know what was done for them during the generations since the Divine Presence dwelled among them, as he proceeds to tell: He found him in a desert land etc.⁴⁴Verse 10.
Now, Rashi commented: “He found him in a desert land.⁴⁴Verse 10. He found them [the people of Israel] to be faithful to Him in the desert land when they accepted upon themselves His Torah, His Sovereignty, and His yoke — something that the children of Esau and Ishmael did not do. And in the waste, a howling wilderness⁴⁴Verse 10. — a land of drought and desolation, a place of the jackals’ and ostriches’ cry. Even there they continued their faith [in Him] and did not say to Moses, ‘How can we go out into the wilderness?’” But this is not the purport of the chapter, for Scripture [here] reproves Israel, mentioning the favors which G-d did for them — and they requited them [the favors] with evil instead of good.

זכור ימות עולם, After concluding the introductory section of his poem, during the course of which he announced that it was his purpose to proclaim the perfect righteousness of the Lord G’d, Who has proven a loyal G’d showering goodness upon the people of Israel, and Who would not reverse a blessing once bestowed, Moses begins to discuss Israel’s past and future.
First, Moses reminds the people that G’d had originally hoped to bestow a brilliant future for all of mankind, i.e. ימות עולם, He had hoped that history would develop in that direction. When this failed to happen, שנות דור ודור, during the years of one generation after another, G’d decided on His pilot project the Jewish people and He raised them to an elevated position among the nations. This is basically what He will do at the end of “history,” [history is perceived as a period of education for the people filling or making a brief appearance on the stage of history. Ed.]
Second, G’d had provided the people with optimum conditions to serve Him joyfully while they enjoyed all the material advantages that life on earth has to offer. He gave them a beautiful country, one flowing with milk and honey, to do this in. Instead, they rebelled and repaid good with evil. There can be no question that the people responsible for frustrating G’d’s master plan deserve to be severely punished for this.
Third, due to the serious nature of their sin they deserve to be wiped out completely. If it were not for the desecration of the Lord’s name that would be a by-product of the destruction of His chosen people, nothing would have prevented G’d from administering this punishment.
Fourth, Moses reveals the reason why the redemption of the Jewish people will occur at the end of what we call “history,’ באחרית היים.
Fifth, Moses elaborates somewhat on the nature of this redemption and the retribution G’d will wreak at that time on the other nations of the world. The nations will primarily be punished for what they did to the Jewish people throughout history. These then are the five sections into which the portion of Haazinu is divided, our sages having given us an easy way of reminding ourselves of this division by calling the portion הזי'ו ל'ך. (Rosh Hashanah 31) Moses therefore commences with the words: זכור ימות עולם, “study history and thereby learn to recognise how much G’d had endeavoured to shower good upon you, starting already with first man whom He transferred to Gan Eden, the most exclusive environment on earth.

זכר ימות עולם, "Remember the days of yore, etc." Moses again makes four divisions corresponding to the four divisions he made in the previous verse. Where he had spoken of "your father" in the previous verse, i.e. an allusion to G'd the Creator, he now says "remember the days of yore," i.e. the six days of creation. Those were the days in which G'd manifested Himself as extremely active. Corresponding to the words קנך, "the One Who owns you" in the previous verse, words which were meant to allude to the Exodus from Egypt and other acts of kindness by G'd for Israel, Moses now says בינו שנות דור ודור, that the Israelites should examine the happenings during the two generations in question, i.e the generation of the Exodus and the generation of Israelites who did enter the Holy Land. By reviewing these two periods in our history we can understand by what right G'd considers Himself as "owning" us. Concerning the word עשך, "who has made you," which Moses referred to in the previous verse, something we described as the supreme improvement G'd made in the condition of man (Israel) [since the sin in Gan Eden. Ed.] when He granted the Jewish people His presence on a regular basis, Moses now says שאל אביך ויגדך, "ask your father and he will tell you;" the "father" in this case is a simile for the prophets whom G'd provided for us to consult with. Finally, concerning the fourth section of the previous verse, ויכננך, the automatic entrance card to our hereafter, Moses now says זקניך ויאמרו לך, "your elders and they will tell you." Moses refers to the scholars of the Jewish people who are familiar with the preparatory steps necessary to safeguard our entitlement to life in the hereafter.

זכור ימות עולם, before you were even born G’d had already prepared your ancestral land for you.

זכור ימות עולם, “Remember the days of yore;” Moses asks the people to remember all the good G’d had done for the Jewish people ever since the creation; i.e. בהנחל עליון גוים, “when the Supreme One gave as inheritance to the nations, etc.”

Another interpretation: You have not taken heed of the past. I.e. it would have been appropriate for you to remember the days [i.e., the history of] the world. Since you did not do so, at least “study the generational epochs” in the future, etc. Rashi has to give the alternative explanation because according to the first explanation it is difficult to understand the seemingly redundant language, for it already says “Remember world history,” which includes the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood. Therefore Rashi gives an alternative explanation. The alternative explanation on its own is also difficult, for how does the term “study” relate to something that does not exist in this world, but only in the World to Come which “no eye has seen aside from Hashem alone” (cf. Yeshiva 64:3). Therefore Rashi also gives the first explanation.

V. 7. זכור ימות עולם usw. Die konkreten Zeitabschnitte, ein Tag, ein Jahr, heißen im Plural שנים ,ימים, der Plural femin. שנות ,ימות bezeichnet in der Regel Zeiten, Zeitabschnitte im allgemeinen. Hier heißt es nun: Gedenket der Zeiten der Vergangenheit, und zwar: בינו: dringet ein, suchet Einsicht in den Zusammenhang der auf einander folgenden Geschlechter, des דור הפלגה ,דור המבול ,דור אנוש ,דור אדם, verfolget diese Entwicklungsgänge des Menschengeschlechts, und dann שאל אכיך ויגדך: frage deinen Vater um deine eigene Geschichte (die ja eben mit ihrem Anfang in דור הפלגה reicht), ויגדך: er wird dir sie noch lebendig vergegenwärtigen, זקניך ויאמרו לך und deine Alten, die mit Weisheit und Einsicht Begabten, werden dir diese deine Geschichte deuten, werden dir deinen Ursprung und deine menschengeschichtliche Sendung eben aus dem Zusammenhang mit den Verirrungen und Erziehungsphasen der vorangegangenen Geschlechter erläutern.

זכור ימות עולם, “remember the days of old;” now Moses begins to list the many acts of kindness G–d had performed for His people;

זכור ימות עולם, “remember the days of old;” Moses now proceeds to remind the people of a whole list of acts of loving kindness G-d had performed for them (B’chor shor)

בינו שנות דר ודר [CONSIDER] THE YEARS OF GENERATION AFTER GENERATION — the generation of Enosh over whom He caused the waters of the ocean to flow, and the generations of the flood whom He drowned by flood (cf. Sifrei Devarim 310:1). Another explanation is: If you have not set your attention to the past (i.e. if you fail to remember the days of old, then) בינו שנות דר ודר CONSIDER at least THE YEARS OF GENERATION AND GENERATION so that you become conscious of what might happen in the future — that He has the power to bestow good upon you and to make you inherit the blissful days of Messiah and the world to come (cf. Sifrei Devarim 310:5).

בינו שנות דור ודור, you will then understand what amount of goodness G’d “squandered” on successive generations who did not deserve it. These generations of mankind, instead of appreciating it, did their best to ruin the universe until G’d was forced to put an end to them by bringing on the deluge.

בינו שנות דור ודור, “understand the years of generation after generation.” They should understand what occurred ever since the Shechinah made its home within them. This is reflected in ימצאהו בארץ מדבר, “when He found it (the people) in a land of desolation.” The word יצב in יצב גבולות עמים, is to be understood as an infinitive (see Ibn Ezra) similar in meaning to the word להציב. We find the word דבר, i.e. dabber, also used as an infinitive in לא ידעתי דבר (Jeremiah 1,8). The meaning of the full verse then is: “when G’d assigned to the various nations lands as their respective inheritance, and when He separated their languages, as described about the descendants of Noach in Genesis chapter 11, etc.” You will find that in that chapter 70 descendants of Noach are listed. These are the founders of the 70 nations the sages always speak of. You will reflect on the fact that when your patriarch Yaakov descended to Egypt his clan comprised 70 members born to him or his children. G’d did not select for His own inheritance more than these 70 people whom He set apart to become His people. This is the meaning of the words כי חלק ה' עמו, “for Hashem’s portion is His people” (verse 9).
Some commentators explain the words גבולות עמים which we translated as “the nations’ boundaries” to mean instead: “the diagonal lines assigned to the world,” i.e. the division of the globe into 12 areas governed by different constellations. The words: “for His people are G’d’s share,” would then refer to the fact that the fate of the Jewish people is not governed by such constellations, but that G’d personally decides on the fates of individual Jews. This verse then would be the clearest proof that the fates of the Jewish people are not subject to the influences of the stars but are decided by higher forces. No other nation has achieved such a status, as is spelled out by David in Psalms 147,20: “He did not do so for any other nation.”

This refers to the sages. Because the word זקן is an acronym for “one who has acquired wisdom.”

בינו שנות דור ודור, “reflect with intelligence about the years of many generations.” I, G–d, had provided for this nation long before they came into existence as a nation.” The details will be explained in the following verses.

בינו שנות דור ודור, “consider the years of many generations.” G-d had prepared a specific land on earth for the Jewish people already long before they had come into existence. (B’chor shor)

שאל אביך ASK THY FATHER — these are the prophets who are termed fathers, as it is stated in the history of Elijah that Elisha exclaimed when Elijah departed, (2 Kings 2:12): “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel!” (cf. Sifrei Devarim 310:3).

זקניך THY ELDERS — these are the sages,

ויאמרו לך AND THEY WILL TELL THEE the events of the former days:

בהנחל עליון גוים WHEN THE MOST HIGH DIVIDED TO THE NATIONS THEIR INHERITANCE — when the Holy One, blessed be He gave those who provoked Him to anger their inheritance, He afterwards caused the flood to pass over them and He drowned them (Sifrei Devarim 311:1)

יצב גבולות עמים, after the tower of Babylon episode, when mankind had lived in a single community, G’d separated them, dividing them up, and established territorial boundaries for the various new nations. Instead of destroying the people who had engaged in building the tower as a challenge to G’d, He did not destroy them as He had the generation of the deluge, but limited their future scope of influence, by assigning only clearly marked territories within which they could be sovereign.

בהנחל עליון גוים, "When the Supreme One gave nations their inheritance, etc." This is a reference to the time when G'd assigned "guardian angels" for the various Gentile nations to represent them at the celestial court. This is an allusion to the fact that G'd considered these nations as inferior so that He did not want to relate to them directly but only by means of an intermediary.

בהנחל עליון גוים, when He assigned to them ancestral lands

בהפרידו בני אדם, “when He separated the various children of man from one another.” Some commentators feel that Moses was speaking about the generation that built the Tower, and that dispersed after their languages had been confused.

Their ancestral portions, He inundated and swamped them. I.e. what was the portion of their inheritance? He inundated and swamped them.

V. 8. בהנחל עליון גוים וגו׳. Als der in dem Bewusstsein der Völker nur noch als der "Höchste" Geehrte (siehe Bereschit 14, 19 u. 20), als Gott Völker in den verschiedenen Ländern auf Erden Besitz nehmen ließ, בהפרידו בני אדם, und durch die Verschiedenheit dieser Länder und die Eigenartigkeit des Einflusses eines jeden derselben auf Körper- und Geistesbildung, Sprache, Beschäftigung, Sitte und Charakter seiner Bewohner das ursprünglich einheitliche Menschengeschlecht — alle ja Söhne Adams — zu verschieden gearteten Völkern auseinander gehen ließ, deren jegliches als eigenartiges Produkt seines Landes eine besondere Seite des Menschheitscharakters verwirklicht (vergl. Bereschit 21, 11).

בהנחל עליון גוים, “when the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance;”

בהנחל עליון גוים, “When the Most High gave to the gentile nations, etc.;” He allocated to each nation its territory on earth.

בהפרידו בני אדם WHEN HE SEPARATED THE SONS OF ADAM — i.e. when He scattered the generation which witnessed the separation of races, He also had the power to remove them from the world, yet He did not do so, but יצב גבלת עמים HE FIRMLY ESTABLISHED THE BOUNDARIES OF THE NATIONS — He let them (the peoples) remain in existence and did not destroy them,

למספר בני ישראל. For the sake of the Children of Israel who were few in numbers, and who would eventually emerge from among these nations. Proof of all this is כי חלק ה' עמו, that G’d has no special claim on any nation other than the people of Israel. All the other nations worship alien deities. Moses explains that had it not been for the fact that G’d knew that the people of Israel would emerge eventually from among one of these nations, He would have wiped out all the people involved in the building of the tower.

בהפרידו בני אדם, after the death of Noach and the time of Avraham about which the Torah wrote (Genesis 10,5) “from this point on they separated, branched out by their respective lands, each with its language, etc.” יצב גבולות עמים, twelve descendants of Canaan (Genesis 10,6) mentioned in that context in that chapter of Genesis, corresponding to the eventual 12 tribes of Israel. Canaan and his 11 sons amounted to twelve. (Genesis 10,15-18) The Torah describes the boundaries of the Canaanites as extending from Tzidon in the north to Gerar, near Gaza in the south, and Sodom in the east. This entire region became the land of Israel during the conquest commencing in the days of Joshua, except for the coastal plains inhabited by the Philistines which was conquered many hundreds of years later, and Jerusalem which was captured by David. The Torah does not give details of the boundaries of the territories of any of the other sons of Noach. למספר בני ישראל, matching the number of the Children of Israel.

יצב גבולות עמים, “He established the boundaries of the seven Canaanite nations;” these corresponded in number roughly to the number of the Israelites.

Who were destined to issue from Shem’s posterity, etc. Otherwise, why use the term “according to the number”? This is what the verse means: “When He separated the sons of man,” i.e., when He dispersed them in the generation of the Dispesion; “He established the boundaries of peoples,” which means that He did not remove them from the world. Why did He do so? “According to the number of Bnei Yisroel,” meaning for the sake of Yisroel who would [in the future] be descendants of Shem.

בהפרידו בני אדם, "when He separated the children of man." The meaning is that G'd did not deliver all the nations into the hands of a single "deputy," i.e. a minister appointed by G'd to deal with them. Rather He appointed different "ministers" to be in charge of the fates of the various nations. The manner in which G'd went about doing this when He established the borders of the various nations was that He took into consideration the needs of the people of Israel. We must remember that when G'd created the souls He planted them originally in one of two trees. One of these trees is a "good" tree, the other is an "evil" tree. The good tree is the one from which the soul of Adam emanated, whereas the other "tree" is a simile for Samael, the symbol of wicked man. Once Adam sinned and the previous division between good and evil became eroded so that good and evil began to appear intertwined, even the offspring of Adam began to produce wicked souls until eventually one totally pure soul, that of Jacob, emerged. From that time onwards the good tree became clearly identifiable once again. This is why the Talmud in Baba Metzia 84 tells us that the beauty of Jacob's soul was comparable to that of Adam before the sin. The "good" tree we are speaking of has 70 branches corresponding to the number of people who descended to Egypt with Jacob. Accordingly, when G'd separated the various nations from one another, He divided them into 70 to correspond to the seventy branches of sanctity.

יצב גבלת עמים וגו׳ stellte Er Gebiete von Völkerschaften bereit für noch zu zählende Söhne Jisraels, ließ er einen Komplex von Landschaften von mehreren Völkerstämmen in Besitz nehmen, die darin jenen völkerschaftlichen Prozess der Beherrschung des Bodens und des Beherrschtwerdens vom Boden durchzumachen hatten, deren Land גבולות עמים zu Gebieten von Völkerschaften wurden (Bereschit 26, 3 u. 4), die sie aber nicht behalten sollten, die vielmehr von vornherein einem Volke bestimmt wurden, dessen Anfang nur erst noch in einzelnen Gliedern einer Familie vorhanden war. So Ps. 105, 11 u. 12 לאמר לך אתן את ארץ כנען חבל נחלתכם בהיותם מתי מספר כמעט וגרים בה —

בהפרידו בני אדם, ”when He separated the children of men;” during the generation of the Tower (Genesis 11,1-11) At that time, due to the confusion of their languages, each “nation,” i.e. the people who had a language in common, moved away from one another and established separate cultures. This occurred due to the direct intervention of G–d as we know from verse 8 in that chapter.

בהפרידו בני אדם, “at the time when He separated the children of man,” i.e. after the destruction of the Tower they had built. (Genesis chapter 11, 19)

למספר בני ישראל ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL — i.e. because of the number of the children of Israel that were in future to descend from Shem’s sons, and in accordance with the number of seventy souls of the children of Israel who went down to Egypt He firmly established גבלת עמים THE NATIONS ACCORDING TO THEIR BOUNDARIES — i.e. seventy separate nations (cf. Sifrei Devarim 311:5).

According to the number of the seventy souls of the Bnei Yisroel, etc. I.e. [the verse] wants to explain one further concept. This is what the verse means: “He established boundaries of peoples,” which means that He made many nations. And how did He make them? Scripture explains, “according to the number of Bnei Yisroel” that is, He made them according to the number of seventy souls who went down to Egypt, i.e., the seventy nations. The phrase “He established the boundaries of peoples” is elucidated both with the phrase preceding and the phrase following, as I explained. Rashi needed to give two explanations because according to the first [explanation] the word “boundaries” is problematic. It should have only written, “established peoples according to the number of Bnei Yisroel.” The word “boundaries” is not needed. And according to the second explanation, since they angered Hashem, why did He not destroy them from the world? Therefore Rashi also needs the first explanation.

The idea underlying this division was to enable each branch of sanctity in the world to be able to rule over its spiritually negative counterpart. This is the mystical dimension of Proverbs 5,5: "her feet descend to death." The idea is that the feet of sanctity stomp on the heads of the קליפה, the spiritually negative forces. In other words, Jacob's branches rule over the nations of the world. Moses continues with, כי חלק ה׳ עמו "for G'd's portion is His people," meaning that inasmuch as G'd has chosen the Jewish people to be governed by Himself directly and has thus elevated Israel over the other nations, He thereby rules over mankind as a whole. The reference of חלק ה׳ עמו refers to Israel after they had received the Torah when they became fit to be called the people of G'd. Moses adds יעקב חבל נחלתו, "Jacob is the measure of His inheritance." The word חבל refers to the most important part of that inheritance. This is an allusion to the quotation from Baba Metzia 84 about the beauty of Jacob matching that of original man, Adam.

יצב וגו׳ למספר וגו׳ vergl. ונצבת לקראת (Schmot 7, 15 .2), ונצבת לי שם (daselbst 34,2), אשר הצבת לבדנה (Bereschit 21, 29), הצב für das Feststellen von Ländergebieten: אתה הצבת כל גבולות ארץ (Ps.74, 17).

יצב גבולות עמים למספר בני ישראל, “He set the borders of people, relative to the number of the Children of Israel.” He selected the boundaries of the twelve tribes in the land that would be Israel’s in the future. How did He do this? He first allocated the relevant areas to the descendants of Canaan –who were enslaved to the descendants of Shem through Noach’s curse. Seeing that slaves cannot own anything in their own right, they are never more than tenants on that land.- Genesis 10,15-18 lists the genealogy of Canaan, eleven in number, that are relevant in that respect. At least one of the Canaanite families at some point split into two separate families, (“nations”). This was the P’rizi, which therefore has not been listed in the verses we just quoted. The boundaries of the lands occupied by the descendants of Canaan are also spelled out in that chapter in detail. As a result of this we have 12 separate branches of the Canaanite nation matching the 12 tribes of the Israelites at the time of Moses. [Levi did not get an ancestral share, but Joseph, as Yaakov’s firstborn from the wife Rachel he had worked for had two shares, allocated to Menashe and Ephrayim, the sons born to him before Yaakov’s death. The words: למספר בני ישראל, “corresponding to the number of tribes of the Children of Israel,” in our verse make perfect sense therefore.

יצב גבולות עמים למספר בני ישראל, “He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the Children of Israel.” He set aside 12 portions of land for the as yet unborn 12 founding fathers of the Jewish nation. There is a tradition that the twelve sons of Canaan (listed in Genesis chapter 10, where eleven have been named) who used to be slaves of the descendants of Shem, son of Noach, as per the curse of their grandfather Noach, received the lands which in due course were taken over from them by the 12 tribes of Israel under the leadership of Joshua. When the Israelites took over, the former inhabitants had no legal claim against the at all, as whatever slaves “own,” is really the property of their masters, and seeing that the Israelites were descendants of Shem, the Canaanites’ master, they had not had any title to that land ever. It is not surprising that one these tribes of Canaan split into two, during the approximately 300 years between the end of the deluge and the time of Avraham. The author has mentioned this tradition already in his commentary on Leviticus 20,24.

Moses also had in mind the fact that there are two categories of souls. One kind of soul has descended directly from a very high region in heaven, and that is the type of soul referred to here as חלק ה׳, "part of G'd," so to speak. Other souls originate in a pool called נחלת שדי, the inheritance of the G'd known as שדי. These souls Moses refers to as חבל נחלתו, "tied by a rope to His inheritance." The word חבל was chosen by Moses deliberately to allude to something very important revealed by the Kabbalists. Every vital soul of man has a "string" connected with its root. This "string" begins at his nostrils and it is by means of this "string" that the soul derives its sustenance enabling it to live. Concerning the soul of the wicked, the Torah said in Numbers 15,31 (in connection with deliberate sinners) הכרת תכרת הנפש ההיא, עונה בה, "that person (soul) will surely be cut off, his sin is upon him." This means that the lifeline connecting that person's soul to its origin will be severed. Once the soul cannot derive sustenance from its source it dies. Of the righteous, on the other hand, the Torah stated in Deut. 4,11 "As to you who have cleaved to the Lord your G'd, you are all alive today."

כי חלק ה' עמו FOR THE PORTION OF THE LORD, HIS PEOPLE — Why all this? (Why did He save them from destruction?) because His portion was comprised in them and was destined to come forth. And who is His portion? עמו HIS PEOPLE. And Who is His people?

יעקב חבל נחלתו, for he as well as his sons became servants of the supreme G’d. By contrast, whenever there was a pious and G’d fearing individual among the gentile nations, such piety and belief in G’d was never transmitted to and carried on by the next generation.

Because His portion was hidden among them, etc. Because the term כי (because) always explains what precedes it. So here too, it implies that Scripture wants to give an explanation of what preceded.

V. 9. כי חלק ד׳ עמו. Gott ließ Israels Söhne nicht in dem für sie bestimmten Lande zum Volke heranwachsen und sich unter den von diesem Lande gegebenen Bedingungen und Einflüssen zu einem Volke entwickeln und ausbilden, ließ es vielmehr im Gegensatz zu allen anderen Völkern ohne Land ein Volk werden und dann ein für sie bestimmtes, von andern bereits völlig kultiviertes und angebautes — ja, wie wir Wajikra 25, 34 anzumerken hatten, in seinen vorgefundenen Bodenkultur- und Städtebauverhältnissen gewissermaßen stabil zu erhaltendes — Land in Besitz nehmen, weil חלק ד׳ עמן, weil dieses Volk als Volk, Gottes Volk, Gott angehörig, mit seinem Volkwerden Gott zu Teil sein und bleiben sollte. Was den anderen Völkern ihr Landesboden ist, das ist Israel seine Beziehung zu Gott. Wenn andere Völker mit ihrem ganzen Sein und Werden in ihrem Boden wurzeln, aus ihm und an ihm, in dessen Überwindung, Aneignung, kultivierender und anbauender Umwandlung zum sozialen Menschenboden und unter dessen klimatischen Einflüssen die Bedingungen ihrer physischen, geistigen, sittlichen und sozialen Kulturentwicklungen schöpfen, — und daher die in dem Rahmen ihrer Völkerkultur ihnen fühlbar wirkenden Potenzen und Mächte vergöttern und als ihr Völkergedeihen bedingende Gottheiten verehren: soll Israel seine physische, geistige, sittliche und soziale Kultur von Gott gestaltet mitbringen ins Land, soll sich und sein Volksleben nicht dem Lande, sondern das Land sich und seinem von Gott festgestellten Volksleben unterwerfen und so mit seinem Volksdasein, seinem Volksleben und seinem Volksgedeihen, im Gegensatz zu den Verirrungen und Wahngeburten der Völker, Gott als die einzige wirkliche und wahrhaftige Macht und Quelle aller Völkerwohlfahrt proklamieren — ולקחתי אתכם לי לעם sprach Gott an Israels Leiden umnachteter Volkeswiege, und dann erst: ׳והבאתי אתכם אל הארץ וגו (Schmot 6, 7 u. 8). Andere Völker sind in tiefem Grunde חלק ארצם, Jisrael ist nach Ursprung und Bestimmung: חלק ד׳.

כי חלק ה׳ עמו, “for the portion of the Lord is His people.” He took His own share just as all the nations of the earth took a share each. (B’chor shor)

יעקב חבל נחלתו JACOB THE ROPE OF HIS INHERITANCE — and he is the third amongst the patriarchs, who is endowed with three merits: the merit of his grandfather, the merit of his father and his own merit thus altogether three — like a rope (חבל) that is made up of three strands. Only he and his sons became His inheritance, not, however, Ishmael, Abraham’s son, nor Esau, Isaac’s son (cf. Sifrei Devarim 312:3),

He was the third patriarch, etc. I.e. therefore Yaakov is called “the cable of His heritage.”

יעקב חבל נחלתו. Darum heißt die Wurzel dieses Volkes nicht Jisrael, sondern Jaakow, eine Menschenfamilie, die als יעקב bodenlos und heimatlos den ganzen Leidenskelch austrinken musste, welcher bodenlosen und heimatlosen und darum, nach Anschauungen der Völker, rechtlosen, nirgends berechtigten Menschen inmitten eines auf Bodenbesitz und Landeshoheit machtstolzen Volkes kredenzt ward, das von der eingeborenen unverlierbaren Hoheit des Menschen als Menschen nichts mehr wusste. "Jaakow", in allem die "Ferse haltend", in welchem die Menschen sonst ihren Halt und ihre Größe suchen; ohne Boden und ohne Macht, und darum ungeübt und nimmer glänzend in den Erfindungen, Künsten, Wissenschaften und Fertigkeiten, die der Menschengeist in seinem Ringkampf mit der Natur und den mitstrebenden Einzel- und Völkergenossen zu dem Aufbau und Ausbau eines Einzel- und Volkslebens erwirbt und darin triumphierend die Menschengröße feiert; Jaakow, יעקב חבל נחלתו Jaakow, um der Armut und des Glanzlosen seiner Erscheinung willen von dem Symposion der Völker zurückgewiesen, fiel gleichsam als Los Gott zum Erbe. Alle anderen Völker konnten, so zu sagen, Gott nicht, und noch weniger konnten sie sein Gesetz gebrauchen. Es waren andere Götter, deren Gunst vermeintlich sie groß machte, und vor allem waren es andere Ziele und andere Motive, in welchen sie das Regime ihres Lebens suchten und schöpften. Für ein auf den Gottesdiktaten der Sittenheiligung, der Wahrheit, des Rechts und der Liebe sich aufbauendes Leben, das in jeder Fuge die alleinige Gottesherrschaft auf Erden und über die Erde zur Anschauung bringen soll, war da kein Raum, wo mit dem Jubelruf: "wir wollen uns einen Namen machen!" der Turmbau des menschengeschichtlichen Ruhmes eingeleitet war. Nur Jaakow, das aus sich nichts hatte, dem keine der von den Völkern als Gottesmächte verehrten Potenzen etwas gewährte noch gewähren konnte, das alles nur aus Gottes Händen zu empfangen hatte und empfing, nur Jaakow war das geeignete Gefäß für Gottes Menschheitszwecke auf Erden, nur es konnte als "Jaakow" die Sendung empfangen, "Jisrael" zu sein: die Gottesherrschaft und deren Huldigung durch ein pflichtgetreues Leben inmitten der Menschen zu verkünden.

יעקב חבל נחלתו, “Yaakov the lot of His inheritance;” there is a repetition here as the word חבל is understood as meaning the same as the word חלק. We find this word used in this sense in Psalms 16.6: חבלים נפלו לי, “tracts of land have fallen to my lot;” the same word is also used as meaning: “inheritance,” as one measures land by using a חבל, “rope.” (B’chor shor)

He and his sons were His [Hashem’s] heritage. The question: Why is it also not written “Avraham or Yitzchok”? He answers that Yaakov and [all of] his sons were for Him an inheritance, but Avraham had Yishmoel who is not part of His inheritance, and Yitzchok had Eisov. Even though it has already been said above that the reason Hashem did not destroy them was because of the number of Bnei Yisroel, who are of the descendants of Shem, nevertheless it was still not explained there the connection between them and the number of Bnei Yisroel, such that He saved the generation of the Dispersion for their sake. Here it explains that the reason is “for Yaakov etc.” was hidden among them. Even though from the phrase, “Because [of] Hashem’s portion, etc.” it is not understood as “they were hidden within them.” But since it gives a reason for that which is written above, “He established the boundaries of peoples according to the number of Bnei Yisroel” which means according to the number of Bnei Yisroel who are destined to emerge from them, i.e. who were hidden within them. (Re”m)

חבל: eine Messschnur und auch ein mit solcher zugemessenes Teil. Ausdrücke, wie חבלים נפלו לי בנעימים (Ps.16, 6), noch mehr: משליך חבל בגורל (Micha 2, 5), lassen die Verwendung der Schnur auch zu einer Verteilung durchs Los vermuten, es ist aber nicht klar, in welcher Weise. — נחלה ja ganz eigentlich ein Besitztum, das jemandem durch Verlassenschaft eines früheren Eigentümers zufällt. Von allen anderen völkergestaltenden Mächten verlassen und aufgegeben, fiel Jisrael Gott zu.

ימצאהו בארץ מדבר HE FOUND HIM IN A DESERT LAND — for them (Jacob’s sons) he found to be faithful to Him in the desert land, when they accepted His Torah, His sovereignty and His yoke, something that Ishmael and Esau had refused to do, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 33:2) “And He shone from the Seir (Esau) unto them, He appeared from Mount Paran (Ishmael)” (cf. Rashi on that verse).

The expression [He kept him] as the apple of His eye⁴⁴Verse 10. alludes to watchfulness, the verse stating that G-d watched over him as He would shield “His own eye.” Or it may be that the word “man” is missing here: He watched over him as a man shields the apple of his eye, for generally [where there is no specific reference to the contrary, it is assumed that] Scripture speaks of man. There are many similar verses.

ימצאהו בארץ מדבר, in the desert He found that the heart of this nation which He considered His only share among mankind was pure and loyal, as testified to in Jeremiah 2,2 “you followed Me into the desert.”

ימצאהו בארץ מדבר ובתהו ילל ישימון. "He discovered it in a desert land, in desolation, a howling wilderness." It appears that Moses referred to a thought expressed in Pessachim 119 that the Israelites did not leave Egypt until G'd had made them to be like a fishpond devoid of fish. [the Talmud deals with the meaning of the word וינצלו in Exodus 12,36. Ed.] Finding Israel in the desert was as unlikely as finding fish in the pond referred to. In Rabbi Chayim Vital's Likutey Torah on Parshat Vayera we read that if the Israelites had remained in Egypt at the time of the Exodus they would have remained mired in that impurity forever as they would have descended to the 50th and absolute level of impurity. This is why Moses stresses "where", i.e. in what spiritually low state G'd found the Jewish people. He does not describe the area as מדבר, "a desert," but as ארץ מדבר, "desert land," as the former has absolutely no spiritual content, is completely barren of spiritual values.

ימצאהו, as when the Torah had written in Numbers 11,22 ומצא להם, the reference is to G’d being the “supplier,” i.e. “finding” their needs for them.

ימצאהו בארץ מדבר, “He found him (Israel) in a desolate land.” I believe that the reason Moses said: “in a desolate land,” i.e. ארץ מדבר instead of simply: מדבר, is that the clouds representing the attribute כבוד joined the people at the time they entered the desert, מדבר. The meaning of the words בארץ מדבר then is: “in a land adjoining a land, i.e. cultivated, inhabited areas.” You will find something similar in the Torah’s description of the Jewish people’s departure from Egypt, when the Torah writes (Exodus 3,20-21) “they journeyed from Sukkot and they encamped in Eytam, at the edge of the desert, בקצה המדבר. The Torah adds: “and the Lord would walk with them both by day and by night.” The meaning of the words ימצאהו then is twofold: it can mean “He found them,” i.e. the word is derived from מצא, or it can mean “supplied, “ i.e. ספק.“ Onkelos appears to have understood it as meaning the latter when he translated ספיק צרכיהון בארעא מדברא, “He supplied their needs in a desert-like country.” Onkelos means that the attribute כבוד found the Jewish people when they were about to enter a desert-like country and proceeded to supply their needs.

He found them faithful to Hashem in, etc. [By this,] Rashi means to explain why Hashem did not want Eisav and Yishmoel as His inheritance, even though they are the sons of Avraham and Yitzchok, just like the sons of Yaakov.

V. 10. ימצאהו בארץ וגו׳. Wo die Menschen נחלות hatten, fand Gott seine נחלה nicht; den eigenen festen Boden unter den Füßen, hatten die Menschen den Herrn über ihren Häuptern vergessen. בארץ מדבר: im Steppenlande, wo keine Äcker grünen und keine Städte ragen, wo der Mensch von Natur- und Menschenmachtstütze verlassen ist — ובתהו: in der Öde, wo durch keine Erscheinung der Außenwelt angesprochen, der Mensch in sein Inneres zurückgewiesen, mit seinem Innern und seinem Gott allein ist, eben jenes Innere, das den Menschen und Völkern in ihrem Ringkampf um Dasein und Glück so wenig und nur so viel gilt, als es sich in äußere Güter des Genusses und der Macht umsetzen lässt, und das doch eben das, ganz allein das ist, auf welches und von welchem aus Gott den Menschenbau des Einzel- und Volkslebens zu dauerndem Heile erbaut wissen will, —

ימצאהו בארץ מדבר, “He found him in a desert region.” The word I have underlined is equivalent to yamtzieyhu, meaning: “He provided all their needs for them in that desert. He provided water, heavenly bread, manna, quails (meat) and made their garments resist decay. (Compare Deuteronomy 8,4.)

ובתהו ילל ישמן AND IN THE DESOLATE HOWLING SOLITUDE — i.e. in a land of drought and desolation, a place of screeching monsters and ostriches; even there they adhered to their faith and did not say to Moses, “But how can we go out into the wilderness, a place of drought and desolation?” — just as it is stated, (Jeremiah 2:2) “[I remember the loving kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals,] When you went after Me in the wilderness, [in to a land that was not sown]” (cf. Rashi on Exodus 12:39).

יסובבנהו, to Mount Sinai, as mentioned in Exodus 19,12 when G’d had said to me: והגבלת את העם סביב, “and you will fence in the people around the Mountain.”

יסובבנהו, with His protective angels, as mentioned in Psalms 34,8 “the angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him.” We also have a liturgical poem recited on the second Day of Rosh Hashanah which revolves around this theme. [the poem is attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yitzchok. Ed.] According to the plain meaning of the text the function of the heavenly cloud was only to provide a barrier in front of the people. It would therefore be erroneous to understand Moses as saying that this cloud enveloped the camp of the Israelites. This had been spelled out quite clearly in Exodus 13,21. Furthermore, the word יצרנהו is basically a repetition, i.e. reinforcement of the word יסובבנהו,

ובתוהו ילל ישמון, “in desolation, a howling wilderness.” Moses recalls that when the people reached this point in their journey, far from civilisation, the matzot (dough) which they had slung over their shoulders when they left Egypt (Exodus 12,39) were exhausted.

Which He arched over them like a barrel. The goodness in this is in order that they should be coerced [into the covenant] and He would be unable to send them away ever, like the law of a coerced woman (Devarim 22:29). This is also how I explained in Parshas Yisro (Shemos 19:17). Do not ask how Rashi knows these three explanations [from a single verse], for one can answer, which of them could be excluded? Alternatively [one can answer that] the verse explains all three of them, for it states, “He encircled them, He granted them understanding.” He encircled them at the time of the Giving of the Torah, meaning that He arched the mountain over them like a barrel. “He encircled them,” “He sheltered them” from snakes, i.e. He surrounded them with the Clouds of Glory and killed all the snakes and scorpions. “He encircled them,” “He sheltered them like the pupil of His eye,” from the nations, i.e., He surrounded them with flags.

Moses also said that not only did this land not have much to offer spiritually, but it was תהו ילל ישמון, it was full of spiritually negative influences. Zohar volume one page 16 describes תהו as one of the levels of the קליפה. ילל ישימן are descriptions of similar phenomena. The reason that such phenomena flourish in those environments is the absence of spiritually positive forces. This is a reason why the Torah describes the fact that G'd "discovered" Israel in the desert land in the future tense, to emphasise that unless the Jewish people in that region enjoy the ongoing protection and supervision of G'd, i.e. יסבבנהו יבוננהו, they would be spiritually lost. Moses means that the Exodus was due to the fact that the Jews could not absorb any additional negative influences in Egypt. He protected them at the time He brought the plagues upon the Egyptians. A simple example of this is Exodus 9,6 which tells us that not even the cattle of the Israelites suffered from the plague of pestilence, not to mention the immunity of the Jewish firstborn during the last plague.

ילל ישימן: und wo die Gelegenheit da ist, die Kraft dieses Innern und seines Gottbewusstseins allen Schrecknissen der Wildnis gegenüber zu erproben: dort, בארץ מדבר ובתהו ילל ישימו suchte Gott sein חלק und seine נחלה, um daraus עמו, sein Volk zu bilden.

ובתהו ילל ישימון, “and in an empty howling waste, etc.” in that very region which harbors only jackals and ostriches, as we know from Micah 1,8 which are constantly lamenting, I provided all that could be wished for. An alternate interpretation for the expression: ימצאהו בארץ מדבר. In this area where one could not logically have expected to find anything worth while, Israel found a real treasure i.e. the Torah which the Lord gave them.

יסבבנהו HE SURROUNDED HIM — there He surrounded them and encompassed them with the “clouds of Glory”; He surrounded them with the banners on their four sides; he surrounded them by the underside of the mountain (Sinai), which He arched over them like a cask (cf. Sifrei Devarim 313:11).

יבוננהו, as G’d had said to Moses in Exodus 24,12 והתורה והמצוה אשר כתבתי להורותם, “and the Torah and the commandment which I have written in order to instruct them.”

כאישון עינו, the cloud, i.e. as G’d’s agent had performed for the Jewish people at the time what the eyelid does for the eye, (pupil ) i.e. it provided a protective cover. The reason it is called אישון, suggesting something dark, is that when the eyelid covers the eye the eye becomes inoperative, its owner remains in darkness. Or, the very fact that the pupil looks black is enough reason for it to be called אישון. We find the word used in Psalms 17,8 where the psalmist implores G’d to protect him as one would the “apple” (אישון) of one’s eye. In Zecharyah 2,12 it is referred to as בבת עין, the part of the eye with which we see.

יסובבנהו, “He circled it.” He surrounded the Jewish people with the clouds of glory. According to Onkelos who translates as אשרינון סחור לשכנתיה, the meaning is: “He surrounded them with flags from four sides.” The verse then explains that the Jewish camps in Sinai were like a circle with the Shechinah among them; this is also the meaning of Song of Songs 7,1: כמחולות המחנים, “with the camps encircling.” The author speaks of two camps, i.e. the camp of the Israelites and that of the angels. The latter had descended from their celestial regions with the Shechinah (Bamidbar Rabbah 2,2). This is also alluded to in Taanit 31 that at some time in the future G’d will arrange for a circle for the righteous in Gan Eden and His attribute כבוד will be amongst them.
יבוננהו, “He granted insights to it,” He enabled them to understand things by means of the Torah.
יצרנהו, “He preserved it;” He protected them against the attack by Amalek and attacks from the other nations.
כאישון עינו. “as the pupil of His eye.” The pupil of the eye is known in classical Hebrew as אישון. The reason is that it contains within it something which resembles a human being, איש. The word, or rather the ending ון, suggests something small, just as the word שבתון in the expression שבת שבתון suggests a diminution of the Sabbath, something akin to but not quite like the Sabbath. Whereas the word שבת describes the principal parts of the Sabbath, the word שבתון describes an addition to the Sabbath, something secondary and therefore something “smaller.” We find a similar construction in אמנון, אמנינון in Samuel II 13,20 where it describes Amnon being put down, being degraded as a brother, seeing he had not acted as a brother should (compare Kimchi).

This refers to the dark area of the eye, etc. Why is [this part of the eye] called אישון (man-like)? Because it looks like the image of a small person. Just as the image of a person appears in a woman’s mirror. אישון is a word meaning “man-like.” (Rabbeinu Bachye)

יבוננהו, "He granted it discernment." Moses refers to the people receiving the Torah which is the source of their insight, the instrument by which G'd preserved the people "like the pupil of His eye" (Compare Proverbs 2,11 תבונה תנצרכה, "understanding will preserve you.") When Moses added the reference to the "pupil of His eye," we are reminded of Zachariah 2,12: "for anyone who harms you (the Jewish people) is as if he harmed the pupil of his own eye." The prophet meant that an eye cannot tolerate being touched by the finger of man. The reason is that whereas the eyeball is scrupulously clean, man's fingers are not. The eye symbolises spirituality, the finger, physicality. The former does not like to be touched by the latter. This is the mystical dimension of Rabbi Shimon's saying in the Zohar volume two page 211: "woe to the soul that has to suffer from alien fire." He viewed the fire which enters the soul to punish it as alien fire relative to the fire represented by the soul itself. This is why you find in that passage of the Zohar that the soul of the righteous has to immerse itself in the fiery river Dinur, etc.

יסובבנהו: er umgab es mit Schutz, den ihm die Natur- und Menschenmacht versagte, יבוננהו: gab seinem wachgewordenen Innern Verständnis und Einsicht seiner Lehre, יצרנהו כאישון עינו: überwacht es, wie der Mensch seinen Augapfel wahrt. נצר bedeutet weniger ein Schützen vor Verletzung von außen, als ein Zurückhalten von jeglichem Selbstverderbnis und in Verlust geraten. So נוצר האדם (Job. 7, 20) נוצר נפשך הוא ידע (Prov. 24, 12), vom Überwachen des Menschen hinsichtlich seines sittlichen Verhaltens. נוצר תאנה (Prov. 27, 18), נוצר פיו שומר נפשו (daselbst 13, 3), wer seinen Mund bewacht, schützt sich vor Übel. שומר נפשו נוצר דרכו (daselbst 16, 17), נצר לשונך מרע )Daher auch dem Erkennen anderer Vorenthalten .(Ps. 34, 14): בל תורוצנ (Prov. 7, 10). ונצורות ולא ידעתם (Jes.48, 7). Von ברית ,עדות ,מצות: seinem Bewusstsein die göttlichen Gebote immer gegenwärtig halten, sie sich nicht entgehen lassen. Es ist lautverwandt mit נזר zurückhalten von etwas. In נשר, Wurzel von משור: die Säge, und נסרים chald. Bretter tritt der Begriff des Trennens hervor. Vielleicht auch נשר der Adler als der auf hohem einsamem Horste sich Zurückziehende. Hier erscheint es wohl wie נוצר האדם und נוצר תאנה in dem Sinne einer wartenden und überwachenden Pflege der geistigen und sittlichen Entwicklung. Vergl. אני ד׳ נוצרה לרגעים אשקנה פן יפקד עליה לילה ויום אצרנה (Jes.27, 3), wo das Bild einer solchen wartenden Pflege ausgeführt ist. Der Vergleich כאישון עינו bezieht sich dann weniger auf die Art der Wartung, als auf den Wert des Gegenstandes, wie dem Menschen die Erhaltung der Gesundheit seines Augapfels am Herzen liegt. אישון siehe Bereschit 2, 21.

ובתהו ילל ישימון, “as long as they had not received the Torah that region had been a completely arid wasteland for them.” Once they received the Torah, it was as if they had been given the gift of light. This is why Solomon said in Proverbs 6,23: כי נר מצוה ותורה אור, “for the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is a light.

יבוננהו HE INSTRUCTED HIM there in Torah and wisdom.

יצרנהו, He carefully engirded them from being enslaved to other nations and from being subject to the angel of death, as we have been taught by Eyruvin 54 that the words חרות על הלוחות, are best understood as חירות על הלוחות, freedom on the Tablets, i.e. acceptance of the Torah would result in the immortality of the person observing it totally.

He encamped them [around His Presence], etc. I.e. Onkelos translates the phrase “He encircled them” in this manner, and Rashi explains that it refers to the Tent of Meeting, etc.

Moses compared the type of protection G'd afforded the Jewish people as comparable to the way in which we protect the pupils of our eyes. G'd protects the spirituality whereas He considers everything outside the "eye" as physical and potentially lethal even by mere touch. Israel had not attained such a level of spirituality until after it had received the Torah. When Moses first spoke of יבוננהו, and only afterwards of יצרנהו, he referred to the negative commandments.

יסובבנהו, ”He enclosed it (protectively) by clouds;” Another interpretation: “He surrounded it with an upside down turned mountain, Sinai, like a bucket.” (compare Talmud, tractate Shabbat folio 88).

יצרנהו HE GUARDED HIM from snakes, serpents and scorpions and from hostile nations,

כאישון עינו. Just as a man watches carefully over his eyeball after having tended it, so G’d watched over His people. G’d tried to surround the Israelites with layers of protective legislation to counter their natural tendency to be obstinate and “do their own thing.”

Another thought that may have prompted Moses to choose these expressions may be related to what we learned in Berachot 54: "three categories of people are in need of protection, one of them being the Torah scholar." The reason is that the destructive forces in the universe are jealous of the Torah scholar's achievements and status and try to harass him. Moses therefore says יבוננהו, that by giving the Torah scholar insight, i.e. the Torah, G'd has armed the scholar against such harassment. Once he possesses such insight he himself understands that he has to protect the Torah like the pupil of his eye.

יבוננהו, “He provided them with insights;” through the Torah. Alternate interpretation: based on the root: בנה, “to build”, “He provided them with a building,” i.e. the Tabernacle.

כאישון עינו AS THE אישון OF HIS EYE — that is the black in the eye from which the light comes. Onkelos, however, rendered ימצאהו by “He provided Him” with all He needed in the wilderness. It took the words to be of the same meaning as, (Numbers 11:22) “[Shall the flocks … be slain for them] to suffice (ומצא) them?” and (Joshua 17:16) “The hill is not enough (ימצא) for us”.

יצרנהו כאישון עינו, “He kept him as the apple of His eye.”

יסבבנהו — Onkelos renders this by “He made them abide round about His Divine dwelling place” — the “tent of congregation” in the middle and the divisions of the tribes (lit., the banners) on the four sides.

כנשר יעיר קנו AS AN EAGLE STIRRETH UP ITS NEST — He guided them with mercy and pity like the eagle which is full of pity towards his young and does not enter its nest suddenly — before it beats and flaps with its wings above its young passing between tree and tree, between branch and branch, in order that its young may awake and have enough strength to receive it (Sifrei Devarim 314:1).

כנשר יעיר קנו, may it be His will that just as at Sinai it had been His intention to make you immortal, and He would have succeeded if the sin of the golden calf had not intervened, He will do so once more in the future, when Israel/Moses’ prayer in this respect will be granted. This is what Zecharyah 10,8 spoke about when he said: אשרקה להם ואקבצם כי פדיתים, “I will whistle to them and gather them, for I will redeem them.”

כנשר יעיר קנו, "He was like an eagle rousing its nest, etc." Our sages in the Sifri pursued their own path in interpreting this verse; we ourselves also pursue our own path based on Vayikra Rabbah 17,4 discussing the affliction of Tzoraat. As long as the Israelites serve the merciful judge (in a general way), G'd does not immediately afflict the persons but rather the קן, property, such as the houses of the Israelites. If this proves ineffectual, G'd affflicts the clothing, and only as a last resort does He afflict the body of the sinner. Moses uses the simile of the eagle to show that just as the eagle rouses its young first, so G'd rouses the children of man to warn that man has to put his spiritual house in order. Any afflictions are in keeping with the victim's ability to endure them. Compare Bereshit Rabbah 55,2 that G'd never subjects man to a trial which is beyond his capacity to survive intact spiritually.

יעיר קנו, who awakens his nestlings and moves them from its nest in order to carry them on its wings; ישאהו על אברתו, the expression יעיר for rousing also occurs in Isaiah 41,25 הערותי מצפון ויאת, “I have roused him from the north and he has come;” it also occurs in Isaiah 13,17הנני מעיר עליכם, “here I am about to stir up against you, etc.” Transferring someone or something from one location to another is called הערה, “pouring out,” in modern parlance. Awakening the one to be transported is a precondition to the transfer.

כנשר יעיר קנו, “Like an eagle arousing its nest;” Moses compares G’d’s attribute כבוד to the eagle, the king of the birds. Similarly, the attribute כבוד is perceived as the “king” of all the disembodied spirits. Just as the eagle takes its young, carrying them on top of its wings, guiding them to various places, so G’d alone, guides the Jewish people (in the desert). He did not employ the help or assistance of any other deity. We have a similar verse in Psalms 73,25: “Whom else do I have in heaven except You?” Assaph means that we rely neither on angels nor any other celestial forces but only on G’d directly. He goes on saying: “having You I want no one on earth.” Furthermore, elaborating on the comparison with the eagle, “just a the eagle renews itself from time to time, so Israel does renew itself from time to time.” The author cites Isaiah 40,31 יעלו אבר כנשרים as meaning that the eagle produces new wings from time to time. He quotes Psalms 103,5 as confirmation of the verse in Isaiah.

He directed them with compassion and sympathy, etc. From here onwards [Moshe] returns to speak of the good things that He [Hashem] did for them from the time they left Egypt, and yet they had forgotten everything.

V. 11. כנשר וגו׳. Das Bild ist: Wie der Adler seine Jungen nicht schlafend und nicht passiv zum hohen Flug empornimmt, vielmehr sein Nest erst weckt und dann seine Schwingen nicht unter, sondern über seine Jungen ausbreitet, auf dass diese mit wachem, munterem Auge zu dem ihrer wartenden Schwingensitz auffliegen und mit freiem, bewusstem, mutigem Entschlusse sich ihm zu dem Emporflug in die Höhen anvertrauen — die jungen Adler müssen aus dem Neste auffliegen, sich selbst auf die Schwingen setzen —: so hat Gott sein Volk erst geweckt und zu dem Mute geübt, mit freiem Entschlusse und wachem Bewusstsein sich seiner Führung anzuvertrauen. Dieses bewusste freie Vertrauen war die Vorbedingung der ganzen Weiterführung und sollte sich dieser erst fähig und würdig machen. Nur ein junger Adler hat den Mut, das feste, warme, bergende Nest zu verlassen und sich zum Emporflug in die isolierende Höhe den väterlichen Schwingen anzuvertrauen. Und es gehörte Mut dazu, während überall Menschen und Völker — um in dem Bilde zu sprechen — nur in dem von dem Granitfels der Menschenmacht und Kunst getragenen Bau des Daseins und Behagens sich sicher fühlten und diesem Bau materieller Menschengröße und seinen vermeintlichen Schutzmächten alles opferten, in ihn alles Geistige und Sittliche der Menschenbestimmung aufgehen ließen, es gehörte Mut dazu, dieser Natur- und Menschenvergötterung zu entsagen und für den Höhenflug zur geistigen und sittlichen Menschenbestimmung, von allen die übrigen Menschen und Völker tragenden Genien entfernt, ganz allein mit seinem Gotte sich den Allmachtschwingen des Einzig-Einen zu überlassen — und zu diesem Mute, der nur in dem felsenfesten Vertrauen zu der Führung des Einzig-Einen zu finden war, sollte die ganze Wanderung durch die Wüste mit allen dort gegebenen Erfahrungen und Belehrungen das Gottesvolk wecken, erziehen und üben. Denn wie die Schwungkraft des Adlers allein die Jungen mit sich hinauf in die isolierenden Höhen trägt, so:

יעיר קנו means, AWAKENS ITS YOUNG (i.e. קן, “nest” is a term for young birds).

על גוזליו ירחף, as we read I Isaiah 49,22 הנה אשא על גוים ידי, ועל עמים ארים נסי, והביאו בניך בחצן, “I will raise My hand to nations, and lift up My ensign to peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosoms, etc.”

Between one tree and another, between one branch [שוכה] and the next. The meaning of the word שוכה is a branch of twigs.

יפרש כנפיו יקחהו, "spreading its wings and taking it." We may understand this as being analogous to Sifri Devarim 3,29 that G'd's right hand is stretched out to welcome the repentant sinners. The previous arousal described in our verse leads to G'd stretching out His hand to those who have responded to the arousal. Moses uses the future tense when saying יפרש, "He will spread out," to indicate that the "whole reason G'd spreads out His wings" in the first place is in order to be able to "catch" the penitents. Were it not for the fact that He hopes for the Israelites to return to Him in penitence, He would not indulge in the gestures described here by Moses.

על גוזליו ירחף IT HOVERETH OVER ITS YOUNG — it does not press heavily upon them, but hovers above them — touching them and yet not touching them. So too, the Holy One, blessed be He, (Job. 37:23) “The Almighty, we did not find Him to be too powerful in strength”: when He came to give the Torah to Israel, He did not reveal Himself from one side, (thus concentrating His power at one point), but from four sides, as it is said, (Deuteronomy 33:2) “The Lord came from Sinai, and shone forth from Seir unto them; He appeared from Mount Paran"; also (Habakkuk 3:3) “God came from Teman” — this is the fourth side (Sifrei Devarim 314:1).

יפרוש כנפיו יקחהו, as per Isaiah 27,12 ואתם תלוקטו לאחד אחד בני ישראל, “and you shall be picked up one by one, O Children of Israel.”

“Shaddai — we did not find the Almighty at full power, etc.” Rashi says this, and this is its meaning: The Almighty, i.e. the Holy One, Blessed Is He, we do not find Him great in power. In other words, although He is strong, He does not act with this power with His creations.

ישאהו על אברתו, "He will carry it on His pinions." This may be understood by reference to the Zohar volume one page 92 explaining Kohelet 10,20: "some winged creature may betray the matter." According to the Zohar there is a class of angels known as בעלי כנפים, "winged creatures." It is their task to relate to the heavenly regions every worthwhile thing a Jew has uttered and to use its wings for that purpose. Moses referred to G'd, i.e. His messengers, carrying such words which please the Lord to the celestial regions.

יפרש כנפיו יקחהו [AS AN EAGLE …] SPREADETH ABROAD ITS WINGS, TAKETH IT — When it comes to remove them (the young) from one place to another, it does not take them with its claws, as other birds do: because other birds are afraid of the eagle that soars so high and flies above them, therefore they carry them (the young) by their (the mother’s) claws for fear of the eagle. But the eagle is afraid only of an arrow, therefore it carries them (the young) on its wings, saying, “It is better that the arrow pierce me than that it should pierce my young”. So, too, the Holy One, blessed be He, says, (Exodus 19:4) “I bare you as on eagles wings” (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 19:4:3): when the Egyptians marched after them and overtook them at the Red Sea, they threw arrows and stone missiles at them, whereupon at once “The angel of God moved … and came between the camp of Egypt [and the camp of Israel]” that it might receive the arrows etc. (Exodus 14:19—20 And Rashi thereon).

ישאהו על אברתו, as in Isaiah 60,8 מי אלה כעב תעופנה, “who are these who fly like a thick cloud?”

As it is stated, “Hashem came from Sinai, radiated forth to them from Se’ir, etc.” “He came from Sinai” is not one of the four directions, rather it means that He came from Sinai towards the Jewish people. The following are the four directions: “He radiated [to them] from Se’ir, [He] appeared from Mount Paran, He came with part of the sacred myriads.” “Hashem came from Teiman” (Chavakuk 3:3). Some challenge [this explanation] because earlier Rashi explained that the verse “He radiated forth to them from Se’ir” refers to the idolaters who did not wish to accept the Torah upon themselves. And Rashi explains similarly later, in parshas Vezos Habracha (33:2). Yet here he explains the verse as referring to the world’s four directions. One can answer that the verse contains both meanings. For if the verse was written solely for the four directions, why does it use these [unusual] names for these directions? These directions are never referred to by these names anywhere else in the Torah. Perforce it refers also to the non-Jewish nations. And if Scripture comes solely to teach about the idolaters, why then does it not explicitly mention them by their names? Rather one must say that both meanings are contained within the verse. And earlier in the verse, “He found them in a wilderness country” which speaks in praise of the Jewish people, Rashi brings the reason that they elucidated [the verse] as referring to the idolaters who did not wish to accept the Torah. And on the verse, “like an eagle who rouses his nest” which speaks of the goodness that Hashem did for the Jewish people, Rashi brings the second reason.

ה׳ בדד ינחנו THE LORD ALONE GUIDED THEM — i.e. He guided them in the wilderness alone (unassisted) and yet in security,

THE ETERNAL ALONE DID LEAD HIM — G-d dwells in Israel securely alone;⁴⁵See further, 33:28. AND THERE WAS NOT WITH HIM — the pronoun referring either to G-d or Israel — ANY STRANGE GOD. The purport is that Israel has no prince or ruler of all the bnei ha’elohim⁴⁶Genesis 6:2 (Vol. I, pp. 100, 102-103). that guides the nation or assists in its guidance except for G-d alone, for it [Israel] is His portion and His inheritance, as he mentioned.³⁹Verse 9. I have already written on this subject.⁴⁷Leviticus 18:25 (Vol. III, pp. 268-269). And in the Sifre we find:⁴⁸Sifre, Ha’azinu 315. “The Eternal alone did lead him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Just as you dwelled alone in this world and derived no benefit from the nations, so will I place you alone in the World to Come and none of the nations will benefit from you at all. And there was not with him any strange god — none of the princes of the nations of the world will have the right to come and dominate you. This is similar to what is said, and when I go forth, lo, the prince of Greece shall come;⁴⁹Daniel 10:20. but the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me;⁵⁰Ibid., Verse 13. nevertheless I will declare unto thee that which is inscribed in the writing of truth etc.”⁵¹Ibid., Verse 21.

ה' בדד ינחנו, as per Jeremiah 46,28 כי אעשה כלה בכל הגויים...ואותך לא אעשה כלה, “though I will wipe out all the other nations …you I will not wipe out.”

ה׳ בדד ינחנו, "The Lord alone guided it, etc." This may be understood on the basis of Bereshit Rabbah 38,6 commenting on Hoseah 4,17: חבור עצבים אפרים הנח לו, "Ephrayim is addicted to images; let him be." According to the view of the Midrash as long as the Israelites will live peacefully with one another and they maintain unity, even the sin of idolatry may be allowed to fester, i.e. הנח לו. The meaning of the word is similar to the way it is used in Esther 2,18 "the king made a הנחה," an amnesty of outstanding taxes to certain of his provinces. The reason Moses chose the expression בדד, is to relate it to the word בד, alone, no longer part of a foreign culture, G'd will lead it.

ה' בדד, He alone took the Jewish people out of Egypt and led them to the Land of Israel.

He conducted them alone, in security, etc. This is the meaning of the verse: And Hashem conducted Yisroel alone and in security. But it does not mean that Hashem was alone, for that is obvious. Rather the word “alone” refers back to the people, that is to say, they did not need any other nation to go along with them due to their trust [in Hashem]. Even though the word meaning “conducted them” is [written] in the future tense, it is used as past tense.

V. 12. ד׳ בדד ינחנו ואין עמו אל נכר, so will auch Gott sein Volk בדד: von allen andern gesondert, zur Höhe seiner Bestimmung führen und verträgt nicht die Gemeinschaft mit den von den Völkern vergötterten Mächten. בדד ist nicht soviel als לבדו, bezieht sich nicht auf die Alleinheit Gottes, sondern auf die Vereinsamung des Volkes von allen anderen Völkern und deren Schutzmächten. Vergl. בדד ישב. (Wajikra 13, 46). וישכון ישראל בטה בדד (Dewarim 33, 28) und alle anderen Stellen. Das עמו kann sich sowohl auf Gott, als auf das Volk beziehen.

בדד ינחנו, “the Lord all by Himself did lead him;” in the Sifri, the word ינחנו is perceived as derived from מנוחה “rest;” G-d is understood by Moses as promising that in the future the Jewish people will experience rest and contentment in the world.

ואין עמו אל נכר AND THERE WAS NO STRANGE GOD WITH HIM — for not one of the gods of the other peoples possessed the power to display its might and to war with them. — Our Rabbis, however, explained it as a promise referring to the future (cf. Sifrei Devarim 315), and so, too, does Onkelos render it. But I say that they (the statements of this chapter) are words of reproof which he said with the view of calling heaven and earth as witnesses against them, and also in order that this song (cf. Deuteronomy 31:21) should be witness, because He knew (Deuteronomy 31:29) that they would in future prove faithless and would bear in mind neither the past (lit., the first) deeds that He performed for them nor those that would come to pass (lit., that would be born), which at a future time He would do for them. For this reason it is necessary to make the text fit in with this and with that (the past and the future). Indeed, the whole section is to be connected with (v. 7) “Remember the days of old (i.e., the past), consider the years of generation after generation” (the future) (cf. Rashi on that verse): Thus has He done for them and thus will He in the future do for them — all this they ought to bear in mind.

אין עמו אל נכר, as per Tzefaniah 3,9 and Isaiah 54,5, both of whom emphasise this exclusive nature of G’d.

There was no capability among any of the, etc. This is the explanation of the word “security.” In other words, they did not fear that one of the gods of the other nations would demonstrate his power to fight against them, because “there was no capability, etc.

ואין עמו אל נכר. "No other deity is with Him." This means that though they are idol worshipers, G'd does not account this sin for them. The words אין עמו must be understood similarly to the way our sages in Rosh Hashanah 30 interpreted Jeremiah 30,1 דרש אין לו, "whom no one seeks out." The Talmud translates instead: "it is not investigated" i.e. brought to one's attention (at that time). This proves that it merits investigation nonetheless. [The subject matter is the use of the Lulav even after the destruction of the Temple on all seven days, as a reminder of former times. Ed.] Here too, the sin of idolatry certainly deserves investigation and judgment but not at this time. [I confess that I find this interpretation of אין עמו אל נכר very hard to understand. Why is there a need to depart from the plain meaning? Ed.]

The Rabbis expound this as referring to the future, etc. I.e. the verse that “Hashem [conducted them] alone, etc.”

We may also understand the verse as follows: "When does G'd alone guide the fortunes of the Jewish people? When they have rid themselves of all alien deities."

Now I say that these are words of reproach, etc. By this Rashi means, how can you explain the verse as referring to the future? Moshe is now speaking words of reproach with them! If so, how can it be that here in the middle of the reproach he prophesies about the future? Therefore I say, etc., in other words, even though he is speaking of the future, nevertheless they are also words of reproach on these matters, etc.

Therefore, the matter must be reconciled both here and there, etc. Rashi means that this is why the verse of “Hashem, conducted them alone” is both in the future tense and in the past tense.

ירכבהו על במתי ארץ HE MADE HIM RIDE ON THE HIGH PLACES OF THE EARTH — The entire text (vv. 13 and 14) is to be understood metaphorically as the Targum has it (i.e., as referring to Eretz Israel).

ירכיבהו על במתי ארץ, this is something He has to do seeing that He did not achieve the desired result at the time He gave the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. He will make a second attempt at achieving this as we know from Psalms 105,45 בעבור ישמרו חקיו, “in order that they may observe His statutes.” G’d gave them the land of nations in order that they keep His statutes.” Ezekiel 20,6 extols the land of Israel as ארץ צבי, the choicest of all the countries

ירכיבהו על במותי ארץ, He makes him ride on the heights of the earth." This verse is not the continuation of what has been written immediately before, but it is the beginning of a new subject and the verse belongs to what follows. The basic subject being introduced here is וישמן ישורון, "Yeshurun became fat and kicked."

על במתי ארץ, as if the Torah had written במתי ארץ (without the letter ו after the letter מ). The land of Israel is perceived as the highest on the globe. [I have explained once that if one considers Jerusalem as the center, the globe sloping off in all directions from this pinnacle, this is easy to understand and does not conflict with scientific measurements which relate only to height above sea level. Ed.[

ירכיבהו על במתי ארץ, “He makes it ride on the heights of the earth.” This is a simile describing Israel as having received control of a choice piece of real estate on earth, a central part of the civilized world, a land “higher” than all other countries. [If the earth is considered as a globe and Jerusalem its center, instead of the equator or longitude 180 degrees, then this is literally true. Ed.] (The author bases himself on Sifri 316). The thrust of these verses is that in spite of the advantages conferred on the Jewish people in every sphere, they trampled it and thereby kicked out (at G’d). The meaning of the words כליות חטה in verse 14 is “the fat part, choicest part,” of the wheat kernels. The reason Moses uses the comparison with kidneys, כליות, is because the wheat kernels resemble the shape of the kidney. According to Taanit 23, in the days of Shimon ben Shetach there was such prosperity in Israel that the wheat kernels were as large as oxen.

The entire passage should be understood as Targum [Onkelos] translates. Meaning, that Hashem will give them Eretz Yisroel. And if so you might ask, that it should have written “He will cause them to inherit, etc.” Why [write] “He shall transport them”? And Rashi goes on and explains.

V. 13. ירכיבהו על במותי ארץ. Wir haben bereits zu Bereschit bemerkt, dass במה nicht den Begriff Anhöhe überhaupt, sondern den einer solchen Anhöhe bedeutet, die als Unterlage und Standpunkt der Erhöhung des darauf sich Befindenden dient. במות ארץ ist daher nicht gleichbedeutend mit גבעות ארץ ,הרי ארץ, sondern drückt den Begriff solcher emporragender Höhen der Erde aus, deren Ersteigen das Ziel von Bestrebungen bildet. במות daher ja Ausdruck für alle angestrebte und erreichte hohe Stellungen. ועל במותי יעמידני ,ידריכני (Ps.18, 34 u. Habakuk 3, 18), על במותימו תדרוך (Dewarim 33 29). Die stat. constr. plur. Form במתי weist auf eine Dualform des Plurals hin, wie יַרכְתֵי von יַרְכְתַיִם. Der einfache Plural von במה ist במות, auch im stat. constr. בָמות, so במות ארנון (Bamidbar 21, 29), במות בעל (daselbst 41). In ירכתים bezeichnet der Dualis den die beiden Längsseiten zusammenfassenden Hinterraum. במותי wären somit: Doppelhöhen, und ist in der Schreibweise unseres במתי zugleich das Merkmal des einfachen Plurals mit enthalten. Diese Dualform במתי kommt nur wie hier im Zusammenhange des Ersteigens oder Betretens von Höhen und zwar in bildlichem Sinne vor, והרבבתיך על במתי ארץ (Jes.58, 14), ודורך על במתי ארץ (Amos 4, 13 u. Micha 1, 3), ודורך על במתי ים (Job. 9, 8), אעלה על במתי עב (Jes.14, 15). Alle diese Stellen entalten den Gedanken einer Erhabenheit, Macht, Herrschaft verleihenden Stellung. Die Dualform dürfte somit die Doppelbeziehung einer solchen Stellung ausdrücken. במתי ארץ ,ים ,עב von Gott: die mit der Hoheit über Erde, Meer und Himmel gegebene Doppelherrschaft über Natur- und Menschenwelt. במתי ארץ von Menschen: die auf der Höhe der irdischen Verhältnisse zu gewinnende Doppelfülle des materiell sinnlichen und geistig sittlichen Heils. Dass in unserer Stelle nicht an die Besitznahme eines räumlich hochliegenden Gebietes zu denken ist, das dürfte sich aus dem Vergleich mit dem ganz ähnlichen Satze (Jes. 58, 14) ergeben, wo die Schilderungen des durch ein pflichtgetreues jüdisches Leben zu gewinnenden segensreichen Heils in der Verheißung gipfeln: אז תתענג על ד׳ והרכבתיך על במותי ארץ. Bemerkenswert ist, dass dort wie hier neben der Dualform auch der einheitliche Plural durch die Schreibweise ausgedrückt ist. Es dürfte damit gesagt sein, dass das materiell sinnliche einerseits und andererseits das geistig sittliche Moment in den Zielen des Menschenstrebens doch im tiefen Grunde ein wesentlich Einheitliches bilden, das Eine nicht ohne das Andere erreichbar, beide in ganz gleicher Würdigung nur von dem einen Pflichtgefühle zu erringen sind, das die Basis aller Menschenbestrebungen zu bilden hat. Also:

ירכיבהו על במתי ארץ, “He made him ride on the high places of the earth.” Moses repeated this metaphor again in Deuteronomy 33,29, ואתה על במותימו תדרוך, “and you shall tread on their high places.”

ירכיבהו על במותי ארץ, “He would make him ride on the high places on the earth;” we have a parallel of this promise in Isaiah 58,14: והרכבתיך על במותיך תדרוך, “I’ll set you astride the heights of the earth.”

ירכבהו וגו׳ HE MADE HIM RIDE [UPON THE HIGH PLACES] — This expression is used because the land of Israel is higher than all other countries (Sifrei Devarim 316:1).

ויאכל תנובות שדי, Moses mentions only the eating, not referring to the labour in the fields leading up to this, eventually. He meant that it would not take any effort to reach the state of eating the produce the land has to offer. Compare Joshua 24,13 “vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant you are eating from.”

דבש, made from dates;

This refers to the fruits of Eretz Yisroel, etc. Rashi is answering the question: Does Hashem not give them food to eat in other places? Therefore he explains that “this refers to the fruits, etc.”

Nachdem Gott sein Volk in der Wüste geweckt und geübt hatte, sich ausschließlich den Adlersfittichen seiner Führung anzuvertrauen, ירכיבהו על במותי ארץ, ließ er es die Doppelhöhen der irdischen Ziele ersteigen: mit den geistig sittlichen Errungenschaften zugleich alle materiell sinnliche Wohlfahrt, ויאכל תנובת שדה: was nur das von Menschen angebaute Gefilde an Früchten zu reichen hat, das erhielt es zu Nahrung und Genuss. נוב ,תנובת (lautverwandt mit נוף die horizontale Bewegung des Darreichens, daher נוף rabbinisch: der Zweig) das Gewähren, Darreichen der Früchte. שדי siehe Bereschit 17, 15.

ויאכל תנובות שדי, “he ate of the fruitage of the field;” Here Moses speaks of the future, after the Israelites had conquered the land of Canaan and grown their own crops. By that time the manna had ceased to descend from heaven, as stated in Joshua 5,12: וישבות המן ממחרת הפסח ויאכלו מעבור הארץ, “the manna ceased immediately after the Passover, and they began to eat from the produce of the land.” This enabled them to strengthen their bodies in anticipation of fighting to conquer the land. Concerning this subject we read in the Talmud, tractate Kidushin, folio 38, that as soon as they offered the first omer offering, (a measure of the new barley harvest) they were permitted to eat from the produce of the land. This statement in the Talmud was challenged by Rabbi Nathan Ophniel, who asked why they had to wait until they had offered that offering, seeing that the positive commandment of eating matzot on the first night of the Passover festival (Exodus 12,18) should override the negative commandment (Leviticus 23,14) of not eating from the new barley harvest, just as the positive commandment of circumcising oneself on the eighth day (overrides the negative commandment of not tampering with the foreskin of the newly born if it had displayed signs of the skin affliction known as tzoraat. The answer to his objection is that the sages decreed the prohibition on account of the second piece of matzah, i.e. once the amount of an olive’s size of matzah had been eaten, the commandment in Exodus is no longer mandatory, and it would be too easy to transgress the commandment of not eating from the new barley harvest prior to offering the omer. We find a similar situation with the widow of brother a of the High Priest who had died without child, and who would be in line for the levirate marriage to her brother-in-law the High Priest. (Compare Talmud tractate Yevamot folio 20) You could argue that the positive commandment of performing such a rite (Deuteronomy 25,5) should override the negative commandment that a High Priest must not marry a widow. (Leviticus 21,14) There too the sages forbade the levirate marriage as after the first marital union the High Priest would have fulfilled the whole commandment, and if he were to sleep with his wife by levirate marriage a second time, he would have committed a very serious sin. The sages therefore forbade such a levirate marriage in order to make sure that the High Priest would not become guilty of such a sin.

במותי ארץ, “the princes of the earth;” as in Deuteronomy 33 29: ואתה על במותימו תדרוך, “and you shall tread on their high places.” The letter ו is extraneous, and the letter מ should have a short vowel kametz, chataf kametz.

ויאכל תנובת שדי THAT HE MIGHT EAT THE PRODUCE OF THE FIELDS — This refers to the fruits of the land of Israel which are quicker to shoot (נוב) and to ripen than all the fruits of other countries (Sifrei Devarim 316:2).

the word שמן refers to oil from olives, olive trees growing primarily in mountainous regions.

There was an incident. Rashi is answering the question: How could this come about, that they would suck honey from a rock?

וינקהו דבש מסלע ebenso wie ושמן מחלמיש צור kann sich, nachdem es schon heißt ויאכל תנובות שדי, nicht auf die wundervolle Speisung in der Wüste beziehen. Ohnehin finden wir dort nur eine Versorgung mit Wasser aus Felsen. Es scheint vielmehr auch der außerordentlichen Fruchtbarkeit des Landes das Außerordentliche, Wunderbare vindizieren zu wollen. Unter dem besonderen Segen, den Gott dem Lande seines Gesetzes für das Volk seines Gesetzes verlieh, ging die Fruchtbarkeit über die natürliche Beschaffenheit des Bodens hinaus. Felsen- und Kiesgrund verwandelte sich in Fruchtboden und trug Datteln- und Ölbäume. Siehe das zu Bereschit 26, 1 u. 2 Bemerkte.

וינקהו דבש מסלע, “and He made him suck honey from a crag in the rock.” The honey mentioned here is bee’s honey. If date trees had grown in rocky areas their honey would also have been included.

ויניקהו דבש מסלע, “He made him suck honey from a rock;” this is a reference to the honey from dates which grows on palm trees between rocks and in the mountains. An alternate interpretation: the honey found in the crags of rocks is bee honey, as the bees hide it there. (B’chor shor) This would be in accordance with Rabbi Joseph quoted in the Targum when interpreting the line; כאשר תעשינה הדבורים, “as the bees produce”, on Deuteronomy 1,44.

וינקהו דבש מסלע AND HE MADE HIM SUCK HONEY OUT OF THE ROCK — Indeed it once happened that a man said to his son In Sichnin (a town in Galilee): “Bring me dried figs from the cask”. He went and found the honey flowing over its brim. He said to him, “But this is a vat of honey (not of figs)”. Thereupon he said to him: “Put your hands deep into it and you will bring up figs from it” (Sifrei Devarim 316:3).

Someone said to his son in Sichoni. “In Sichoni” refers to the name of a place.

ושמן מחלמיש צור, “as well as oil out of a flinty rock.” Olives growing in such rocky areas are superior in taste to those growing from trees in the field. This is most likely due to the heat of the sun’s ray being reflected from the rocky surface instead of being absorbed by the soil.

ושמן מחלמיש צור, “and oil out of a flinty rock.” It is the habit of olive trees to grow in areas surrounded by rocky earth., on Deuteronomy 1,44.

במתי ארץ is an expression denoting height.

Bring me dried fig preserves from the barrel, etc.” Dried figs are hard like rock, and even so there was honey on them. Therefore they would suck honey from them [like] from a rock.

שדי has the same meaning as שדה, field.

When non-adjunctive to the following word the vocalization is chalumish (“the mighty part of”), etc. Rashi is answering the question: Why is the word chalmish vocalized with a sheva under the lamed? It would ordinarily be vocalized as chalumish with a kamatz [under the lamed], as in “the flint [chalumish] into a fountain of waters” (Tehillim 114:8). Therefore he explains that “when it is not connected to the following word, etc.” But here it is connected to the word following.

מחלמיש צור (lit., out of the flint of the rock) — The meaning is: the strength and the hardness of the rock. — When it is not connected with the following word (that is, when it is used in the absolute state) it is vowelled חַלָּמִישׁ (as in Deuteronomy 8:15). whilst when it is connected (is in the construct state) it is punctuated חַלְמִישׁ as here.

This refers to the olives of Gush Chalav. Gush Chalav is the name of a place.

ושמן מחלמיש צור AND OIL OUT OF THE FLINTY ROCK — this refers to the olives of Giscala (a place in Galilee) (Sifrei Devarim 316:4).

חמאת בקר וחלב צאן [AND HE GAVE THEM TO EAT] CLOTTED CREAM OF THE HERD AND MILK OF THE FLOCK — This was in the days of Solomon, as it states (1 Kings 5:2—3): “[And Solomon’s provision for one day was …] ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen (בקר) out of the pasture, and an hundred sheep (צאן)(Sifrei Devarim 317:1).

ודם ענב תשתה חמר, grape juice was fit to drink without investing much toil beforehand. This is an example of people earning their livelihood easily. The reason why G’d had arranged things in such a fashion was so as to leave the people ample time to study Torah, and to enable them to fulfill the various commandments of the Torah which do consume time.

חמאת בקר, according to the plain meaning of the text Moses describes the land in terms of it flowing with milk and honey and providing an abundance of meat for its owners.

ודם ענב תשתה חמר, “and you would drink the blood of its grapes as if it were aged wine.” Moses refers to the juice in the grapes as “blood,” seeing that its red color is similar to the color of blood. Another reason, mystical, if you will, is that grapes were the indirect cause of death in the world according to the view that the fruit of the tree of knowledge were grapes (Bereshit Rabbah 19,8).
The word ענב refers to the seeds inside the grape. The reason Moses speaks about grapes in the singular instead of the customary ענבים, plural, is that he wanted to alert us to the vast amount of wine, blessing for the country, which develops from such tiny beginnings as the seeds in the grapes. When the grapes hang together in a cluster they are called אשכול by the Torah, whereas in Talmudic parlance such a cluster is known as פרכיל. We find the expression פרכיל ענבים in Sukkah 10, i.e. clusters from which grapes are suspended. The trunk from which such clusters of grapes are hanging is called גפן, a grapevine, when the cluster is still attached to it, whereas when the branch to which the clusters are attached has been severed from the trunk it is called זמורה. This is borne out by Numbers 13,23 ויכרתו משם זמורה ואשכול ענבים, “they (the spies) cut from there a branch, full of clusters of grapes.” The verse in Numbers describes the excellence and quantity of the produce of the land of Canaan at that time. The Torah there adds the word אחד, to tell us that each of the spies took a different specimen from the fruit of the land. One took a cluster of grapes, another pomegranates, still another a fig.

Milk of sheep. When it is used adjunctively, etc. Rashi’s question: Why is it vocalized as “cheleiv” with a sheva under the ches and a tzeirei under the lamed? It should have been vocalized as cholov with a kometz in both places.

V. 14. חלב כרים .חמאת וגו׳ wie חלב כליות חטה Ausdruck für das Fetteste und Beste. כרים, die Etymologie von כר ist dunkel. Vielleicht sind כרים von Schafen, was עתודים von Ziegen. עתודים siehe Bamidbar 7, 17. כליות חטה die einzelnen Körner einer Ähre werden an Größe mit den einzelnen Teilen einer Niere verglichen.

עם חלב כרים ואילים, “and curds as well as and rams raised in Bashan.“ Moses lists the highest quality of these species, similar to Genesis 45,18 ואכלו את חלב הארץ, ”and live off the fat of the land!”

עם חלב כליות חטה, “with the kidney fat of wheat.” With the fat from the best grades of wheat, i.e. this kind of wheat is likened to the fat surrounding the kidneys. The kernels of such wheat are described as big as a kidney. These kernels have an indentation and a shape similar to kernels of wheat.

עם חלב כרים WITH FAT OF FATTENED LAMBS — This was in the days of the “Ten Tribes” (the period of the Northern Kingdom). as it is said, (Amos. 6:4) “Who eat lambs (כרים) of the flock” (Sifrei Devarim 317:1).

חלב כרים, rams that had grazed in the desert, having stuffed (fattened) themselves with excellent pasture. The expression is used in this sense both in Isaiah 30,23 and in Psalms 65,14. The author quotes more verses from Scripture on this subject; the message of Moses is clear beyond doubt. he extols the excellent physical properties of the Land of Israel.

According to its plain meaning. It seems that Rashi’s suggestion is as follows: The word כרים means “sheep.” If so, the plain meaning of the word אילים is “rams.” Without this [comment] one might have thought that the word אילים means “sheep” and they are called אילים because they strengthen and enrich their owners. אילים is similar to in the phrase, “The mighty [אילי] of the land he took” (Yechezkeil 17:13) a term that means “strong.” But now that I explained that the word כרים means “sheep” we need not give a difficult explanation that [in this verse] אילים means “strong,” but in fact the word אילים takes its ordinary meaning.

דם ענב .ודם ענב תשתה חמר ist der junge eben der Traube entnommene Most, חמר der schon gegorene geistige Wein. חמר gären, יהמו יחמרו מימיו (Ps. 46, 4). So auch ויין המר מלא מסך (Ps. 75, 9). Der Wein ist gegoren und reich gemischt.

עם חלב כליות חיטה, “with the kidney fat of wheat.” The word “kidneys” here is not a metaphor but is to be understood literally. This is because the shape of wheat with its groove is similar to that of the shape of a kidney. (Ibn Ezra)

חלב כליות חטה [WITH] THE FAT OF KIDNEYS OF WHEAT — This again was in the days of Solomon, as it is said, (1 Kings 5:2) “And Solomon's provision for one day was [thirty measures of fine flour etc.]” (Sifrei Devarim 317:1).

ואילים בני בשן, ordinary animals that had grazed in Bashan (the land conquered from Og) were known to be excellent specimen; כרים, both in Bashan and special ones elsewhere, had a tendency to grow fat, something which was in high demand. The rams of Bashan were therefore the very finest anywhere.

Like the fat of the kidney. Otherwise, why is it compared to the fat of kidneys and not any other fat?

ודם ענב תשתה חמר, “and of the blood of the grape you will drink foaming wine.” The wine will be red as blood, an indication of its value, similar to what Solomon described in Proverbs 23,31: אל תרא יין כי יתאדם, “do not look at wine when it is red;” [sign that the wine is strong in alcohol content. Ed.]

ודם ענב תשתה חמר AND THOU SHALT DRINK THE FOAMING BLOOD OF THE GRAPE — this again was in the days of the “Ten Tribes” as it is said, (Amos 6:6) “That drink wine in bowls” (Sifrei Devarim 317:1).

עם חלב כליות חטה, the choicest fat of the wheat kernels. [The word כליות can obviously not refer to kidneys, seeing that wheat does not have kidneys. The author therefore searches for other pertinent meanings which can be applied to Moses’ hyperbole here. Ed.] In Samuel II 13,39 we find the line ותכל דוד המלך לצאת אל אבשלום, which the author understands as “King David now pined, had an overpowering desire for Avshalom,” since he had by now gotten over the death of his son Amnon (whom Avshalom had murdered). In Psalms 84,3 we read כלתה נפשי, “my soul yearns for….” In other words, the root כלה, from which the wordכליות is derived can mean “to have a craving.” People can develop a craving for this kind of wheat once they have tasted its excellence. In Psalms 73,26 כלה שארי, the word may also describe a craving of one’s body. As to the letter י in the word כליות in our verse, which appears to contradict the claim that the root is כלה, consider the relationship between שבה and שביה, shivyah, where we also suddenly discover a letter י that appears unaccounted for. Another such example occurs with the root בנה and הבניה in Ezekiel 41,13, where the י in הבניה appears unaccounted for. The fact is, that when roots ending with the letter ה such as בנה and שבה experience the semi-vowel sheva abbreviating the syllable, the letter י is substituted for the original letter ה.

You shall drink, etc. I.e., the meaning of the verse is, the blood of the grapes he would drink, etc.

חמאת בקר is the cream that is gathered from the surface of the milk.

וחלב צאן means, and milk of sheep (i.e. the first word is in the construct state); whenever it is connected with the following word it is vowelled חֲלַב, as in (Deuteronomy 14:21) “in the milk of (בַּחֲלֵב) its mother”.

כרים are SHEEP.

ואילים has its ordinary meaning: RAMS.

בני בשן RAMS OF THE BREED OF BASHAN — These were very fat.

כליות חטה KIDNEYS OF WHEAT — wheat that is fat as is the fat of kidneys and the kernels of which are as large as kidneys.

ודם ענב AND THE BLOOD OF THE GRAPE [THOU SHALT DRINK חמר] — This means: Thou shalt drink good wine, and taste wine of a fine and good quality.

חמר — This word means wine in general in the Aramaic language, but this (the word חמר in our verse) is not a noun but it means excellent in taste, vinos in old French, (English = vinous). — One may also expound these two verses according to the Targum of Onkelos which has: אשרינון על תקפי ארעא וגו׳, He made them dwell upon the strong places of the earth etc.

עבית has the meaning of “thickness” (stoutness), it therefore means: “ Thou hast waxed fat”.

VAYENABEIL’ THE ROCK OF HIS SALVATION — “he showed contempt for Him and disregarded Him, just as it is said, with their backs towards the Temple of the Eternal, and their faces toward the east.⁵²Ezekiel 8:16. There is no greater contempt than this.” This is Rashi’s language. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented: “Vayenabeil — that he caused ‘the profaning’ of G-d’s Name so that He would no longer help him.” This interpretation, too, does not appear to me to be correct, for it is not within the context of this place [i.e., this section of the Song], for he is still narrating [here] their sins, and will not state their punishment and vengeance that He would inflict upon them until [further on in the verse], And He said: ‘I will hide My face from them.’⁵³Further, Verse 20. The correct interpretation appears to me to be what I have mentioned above,⁵⁴Above, Verse 6. that the term n’valah is used to describe repaying evil for good. The verse thus states that the people of Israel abandoned the G-d Who created them in favor of strange gods and, in utterance and thought, showed disregard for the Rock Who helped them. [Israel] said “In return for serving Him, there is nothing but repayment of evil. By worshipping the strange gods he shall have plenty of bread;⁵⁵Proverbs 12:11. but when worshipping the Rock they will be contemptible and base before all the people.”⁵⁶Malachi 2:9. As our fools said, It is vain to serve G-d; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked mournfully because of the Eternal of hosts? And now we call the proud happy etc.,⁵⁷Ibid., 3:14-15. and as the accursed women said [to Jeremiah], But since we let off to offer to the queen of heaven etc., we have wanted all things.⁵⁸Jeremiah 44:18. Similarly [the prophet Jeremiah prayed], Do not abhor us, for Thy Name’s sake, do not dishonor the throne of Thy glory⁵⁹Ibid., 14:21. because they will say of Him that He repays His people with evil for good, just as [the prophet] said, Break not Thy covenant with us.⁵⁹Ibid., 14:21.

וישמן ישורון ויבעט, however, even the most erudite of them, the ones known admiringly as Yeshurun, (based on Bileam’s prophecy of אשורנו ולא קרוב, in Numbers 24,17) acted as if they were animals, kicking the very people who give them food.

עבית, related to the expression במעבה האדמה, “in earthen moulds” where the root letters עב have also been reversed, the normal order being עב. (Kings I 7,46) The disappearance of the third root letter ה is similar to such disappearances in ראית, “you saw,” from the root ראה, and עשית, “you have done,” from the root עשה. The construction מעבה in the verse from Kings we quoted parallels the word מראה from the root ראה. Similarly, the noun מעשה parallels the root עשה.

וישמן ישורון ויבעט, “Yeshurun grew fat and kicked.” The name “Yeshurun” is a complimentary name for Israel who are considered (when at their best) to be a nation of ישרים, loyal upright self-confident and G’d-fearing people.

וישמן ישורון ויבעט, “Israel became fat and kicked.” Up until this time the Jewish people had never been called Yeshurun. It is possible that Moses did not use the name in order to flatter them, but, on the contrary, in order to point out how a people who were once considered entitled to such a compliment had forfeited their claim to that name. The name derives from אשורנו, a vision the prophet Bileam refers to as having had, i.e. the ability to behold supernatural phenomena (Numbers 14,17). The Jewish people had seen such phenomena, i.e. the attribute of כבוד at the time they experienced their spiritual high during the revelation at Mount Sinai. This is why Moses employs this term immediately after having described the Mount Sinai experience of the Jewish people with the words יסובבנהו יבוננהו in verse 10. Seeing that the Torah described the attribute Israel focused at that time as “and the appearance of the glory of G’d was similar to consuming fire at the top of the mountain,” (Exodus 24,17) it is clear that the people at the time had a visual experience. Later on, during his blessings of the people in 33,4 Moses again refers to this term saying ויהי בישורון מלך, “the Lord became King amongst the people known as “Yeshurun.” When Moses concludes his blessings of the people in Deut. 33,26 he again refers to the Jewish people as Yeshurun, saying אין כא-ל ישורון, “there is none like the G’d of Yeshurun.” He meant that the very experience the people had had at Sinai should have convinced them that there is no power in the world that can equal their G’d.
All this is really part of this song which is a collection of criticism, rebuke, during which Moses argues with the people concerning their conduct in the future. He foretells them that they would become sinful and rebel against the Lord, becoming forgetful of all the kind deeds G’d had performed for them. This is why on this day, the last day of his life, he mentions the description Yeshurun three times to underline how terrible it is when a people who attained such spiritual stature as they would experience a spiritual decline.
The prophet Isaiah paraphrases Moses when he said in Isaiah 1,4 הוי גוי חוטא עם כבד עון, “woe, a sinful people, a nation laden with iniquity!” Our sages comment on this that when Isaiah used the term גוי he referred to the people who had distinguished themselves as being referred to as ,ומי גוי גדול, “and who is such a great nation?” How could such a nation become sinful? Furthermore, this was the nation which had been described as עם קדוש, “a consecrated people,” in Deut. 14,2. How could such a people have fallen so much that it fits the description “laden with iniquity?” The Jewish people had been described as “children are you to the Lord your G’d” in Deut. 14,1, and as “seed blessed by the Lord” (Isaiah 61,9).

There is a “light” grammatical usage, etc. Rashi means that since it is from the word “covering” (כיסוי) the [letter] sin [or samech] should have been written with a dagesh (punctuated dot), as we find in all places, that [the letter samech in the word] “כיסוי” is written with a dagesh.

V. 15. וישמן וגו׳. Wir begegnen hier das erstemal dem Namen Jeschurun. Es bezeichnet Israel nach dem Ideal seiner sittlichen Bestimmung, das in dem Charakter ישר des Geraden, seiner Bestimmung ohne Abweichung Entsprechenden, seine Bezeichnung findet. Vergl. זבולון und זבל. Es hieß oben: Gott wollte es die Doppelhöhen der irdischen Ziele ersteigen lassen, die höchste materielle Wohlfahrt und die höchste geistige und sittliche Vollendung. Sollte Israel ja in einem leuchtenden Beispiel zeigen, wie ein vollendetes geistig sittliches Pflichtleben keineswegs auf irdisch heiteres Glück notwendig zu verzichten habe, vielmehr der höchste Grad von Sittlichkeit sich sehr wohl mit dem höchsten Maß irdischen Glückes vertrage, ja sich eben in einem solchen zu bewähren und alle irdischen Mittel und Genüsse in geistige Errungenschaften sittlicher Pflichttaten umzusetzen habe. Als aber dem diesem sittlichen Ideale bestimmten Jeschurunvolke zur Lösung seiner Aufgabe sinnliche Güter und Genüsse in Fülle geworden, als es aus der Wüste zum Lande von Milch und Honig gelangt war, da wurde es fett und schlug es aus. שמנת עבית כשית ist eine Anrede in Paranthese an das Mosche gegenwärtige und jedes künftige, sein שירה-Wort lesende Volk. Sie entält die Quintessenz der ganzen jüdischen Geschichte. In Leiden hat sich das jüdische Volk meist großartig bewährt. Allein Glück hat es noch selten ertragen. "So oft es fett wurde, wurde es feist und vom Fett überwuchert", eigentlich: "bedeckt". כשית scheint Pual zu sein, wie כסו הרים צלה (Ps.80, 11) Berge wurden von seinem Schatten bedeckt. כסו פניו חרולים (Prov. 24, 31) seine Fläche war mit Dornen bedeckt. Es würde dann allerdings das Dagesch im ש fehlen, wofür sich jedoch Beispiele finden יוקשים בני אדם (Pred. 9, 12), לב הותל הטהו (Jes.44, 19). Oder כשה hat die intransitive Bedeutung: bedeckt werden wie כסה die aktive, bedecken. Der Sinn ist: je mehr markiger, fetter Nahrungsstoff dem Körper zugeführt wird, umsomehr sollte er den Überfluss an Stoff in Kraft und Arbeit umsetzen, um so erhöhter sollte seine Tätigkeit und Leistung sein. Dann beherrscht er die Fülle und bleibt körperlich und geistig gesund und hat durch die größere Leistung einen größeren sittlichen Wert. Unterlässt er dieses aber, so lagert sich der unverbrauchte Nahrungsstoff in seinem Körper ab, er wird korpulent, feist, und statt die Fülle zu beherrschen, wird er, sein eigentliches geistiges, tätiges Selbst, von dem Fett übermannt und geht darin unter.

עשהו, “Who made him;” the word: עשה here is a simile for wealth, עושר, as in Numbers 24,18: וישראל עושה חיל, where it means that Israel is abandoning the G-d who has made it wealthy.”[This editor admits that he has not understood the interpretation nor its comparison to Numbers 24,18.]

כשית is the same as כסית (‎ס and ש interchanging). It has the same meaning as in Job 15:27 “Because he hath covered (כסה) his face with his fatness”— like a person who is full of fat inside and whose flanks therefore lie in folds outside, as it goes on to state, (Job 15:27) “and be made folds of fat on his flanks” (Sifrei Devarim 318:6).

שמנת עבית כשית, you, the elite of the people, preferred to concentrate on the physical enjoyments offered by a life of leisure, and by doing so עבית, you became too gross to understand the finer points of the teachings of the Torah, the only truth. Isaiah 28,7 describes the conduct of the spiritual elite of the people when he writes: “but these are also so muddled by wine, and dazed by liquor, Priest and Prophet are muddled by wine;“

וינבל צור ישועתו, “acting villainously against the Rock of its salvation.” Nachmanides refers to Ibn Ezra’s interpretation that the villainy of Israel consisted in that it accused Hashem as not continuing to be able to act as its Saviour, views the whole “kicking” as an act of blasphemy both in word and in deed. He disagrees with Ibn Ezra, The reason that he does so, is that Moses is still reciting the people’s sins and has not yet begun to speak about the punishment they would have to suffer on account of their sins. This part only commences with verse 20 when G’d is quoted as withdrawing His Presence from the people, אסתירה פני מהם. The correct interpretation, according to Nachmanides, is that Moses continues with the theme discussed by me earlier, that the most serious aspect of Israel’s sins is that they repay good with evil. They abandoned a G’d who not only had created them as a nation, but had redeemed them from slavery. He had saved them from the pursuit of Pharaoh and for forty years kept them alive in the desert in spite of being provoked by them. He kept His promise to Avraham to bring them to a land flowing with milk and honey. They had repaid all this by failing to serve this G’d, although He did not demand anything difficult from them. They blasphemed by mouth and deed, transferring their allegiance to useless idols.

ויטוש אלו-ה עשהו וינבל צור ישועתו, “it deserted G’d its Maker, and was contemptuous of the Rock of its salvation.” The verse alludes to the two attributes of G’d which orchestrated the Exodus. The reason Moses did not say א-ל but אלו-ה was to include both the emanation תפארת and כבוד. This is why he added the letters ו and ה. This idea is reflected also in Job 35,10 איה אלוה עושי . The words וצור ישעותו mean that by means of the attribute צור, the deliverance of the Jewish people at the Sea of Reeds was orchestrated.

It would have meant “You covered others, etc.” But now it means that you cover yourself.

Das ist Israels Geschichte. Es hat Fülle und Überfluss nicht zu erhöhten geistigen und sittlichen Leistungen, nicht zu vollerer Lösung seiner Aufgabe benutzt; seine sittliche Vervollkommnung hat nicht mit seiner glücklicheren äußeren Lage Schritt gehalten; es hat es nicht verstanden, Herr seines Reichtums und seines Glücks zu bleiben, hat sie nicht in sittliche Pflichterrungenschaften umzusetzen gewusst, es hat sich von Reichtum und Glück übermannen und sein besseres, geistiges, sittliches Selbst darin untergehen lassen. —

כשית — There exists a Kal form (as is this word) in the sense of covering, as (Proverbs 12:16) “And a prudent man is covered with (וְכֹסָה) shame”. If it had written כִּשִּׂיתָ with a dagesh in the ש. it would imply, “Thou hast covered others (or other things)” (i.e., it would be transitive), as in the text already quoted, “For he hath covered (כִסָּה) his face”.

כשית, compare what Isaiah 44,18 writes, “they have no wit or judgment, their eyes are besmeared and they see not;”

נטש ,ויטש וגו׳ heißt überwiegend: sich um etwas nicht kümmern. Als Israel fett wurde, da stieß es alles, was es nicht selbst war, verächtlich von sich, kümmerte sich nicht mehr um Gott, der es doch zu dem gemacht hatte, was es war, erfüllte die Aufgabe nicht, für welche Gott es gebildet hatte, וינבל צור ישועתו wörtlich: und betrachtete als "abgewelkt" den Halt und Schöpfer seines Heils. In den Zeiten des Galut und für die Galutzeiten war Er gut und nütze, da hatte man keinen anderen Halt, da war es gut und nütze, sich einen Halt in den Höhen zu suchen. Allein in Freiheit und Glück auf eigene Füße gestellt, ist das Vertrauen auf Ihn und die Ihm zu zollende Treue ein antiquitierter, überwundener Standpunkt geworden, — der "altväterische Glaube" hat das Seinige getan, der "altväterische Glaube" kann gehen — וינבל צור ישועתו

וינבל צור ישעתו AND HE LIGHTLY ESTEEMED THE ROCK OF HIS SALVATION — This means, He showed contempt for Him and scorned Him, as it is said, (Ezekiel 8:16) “[and, behold, … there were … men] with their buttocks towards the Temple of the Lord” — surely, there can be no greater contempt than this (see Rashi on this verse) (Sifrei Devarim 318:9).

ויטוש אלו-ה עושהו, so that, following the example of their elite, the people at large abandoned G’d the One Who had made them;

וינבל צור ישועתו, despising the Rock of its salvation, i.e. sliding from bad to worse in their lifestyles.

יקנאהו means, they made His anger and His jealousy (קנאה) glow.

WITH ABOMINATIONS DID THEY PROVOKE HIM — “they kindled His anger with abominations and unseemly deeds, such as sodomy and sorcery in which there is abomination.” This is Rashi’s language, and it is also so stated in the Sifre.⁶⁰Sifre, Ha’azinu 318. But in this Song there is reproof for idolatry only [and not for immorality]! And the word ‘b’zarim’ [They roused Him to jealousy ‘b’zarim’] is connected with the expression G-d Who made him [in the preceding verse, to mean]: “they roused Him to jealousy with ‘strange gods,’” similar to the phrase other gods.⁶¹Above, 5:7. And the meaning of the expression, with abominations is [that they worshipped] the demons by burning their children in fire to other gods. For all this is “abominable” to Him, just as it is said, for every abomination to the Eternal, which He hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods,⁶²Ibid., 12:31. This is said of the nations that lived in the land of Canaan. and it is further written, which I commanded not, nor spoke it, neither came it unto My mind.⁶³Jeremiah 19:5.

בתועבות יכעיסוהו, causing the benevolent presence of G’d to forsake the people of Israel so that they would no longer enjoy an advantage over the gentile nations.

יקניאוהו בזרים, “they kindled His jealousy by means of alien (gods).” By turning to idols, the Jewish people aroused G’d’s attribute of “the jealous G’d.” They angered this very attribute which had delivered them at the Sea. A reference to the sin of the golden calf and possibly to the affair at Shittim.

They inflamed His fury and vengeance. The word “vengeance” always means the anticipation to take revenge for something.

V. 16. קנא .יקניאוהו בזרים im Hifil kommt nur hier (V. 21) und in ähnlichem Zusammenhange Ezech. 8, 3 und Ps.78, 58 vor. קנא im Piel heißt, wie bereits wiederholt bemerkt, ein verletztes Recht in Gefühlen, Worten oder Handlungen geltend machen. Im Hifil: jemandem das Gefühl eines verletzten Rechts bewirken. Sie wenden das Recht, das ausschließlich Ihm an ihnen zusteht, andern zu, die ihnen völlig fremd sind, denen sie nichts verdanken und nichts verdanken können, die nichts für sie getan haben und nichts tun können, zu denen überhaupt ihr ganzes Wesen nie in einem Huldigungsverhältnisse stehen sollte. Und diese Vergötterung und Huldigung anderer Mächte bleibt kein bloß theoretischer Irrtum, sie hat die verderblichsten praktischen Folgen, dass בתועבת יכעיסהו, dass ihre Sittlichkeit bis zu den abscheulichsten Ausschweifungen entartet. War ja eben die größere sittliche Ungebundenheit von je nicht nur die Folge, sondern ganz eigentlich das Motiv des jüdischen Abfalls von Gott, dem Einzig-Einen und seinem sittenstrengen Gesetz, אמר ר׳ יהודה אמר רב יודעין היו ישראל בע׳׳ו שאין בה ממש ולא עבדו ע׳׳ז אלא להתיר להם עריות בפרהסיא (Sanhedrin 63 b).

בתועבות יכעיסוהו, “with abominations they provoke Him.” Robbery and sexual misconduct are what Moses referred to here. Both have been described in the Torah (Leviticus 18,27) as “abominations.”

בתועבת WITH ABOMINATIONS — i.e. with abominable deeds such as pederasty and sorcery, of which the term תועבה is used (cf. Leviticus 18:23 and Deuteronomy 18:10—12).

לא אלה — Understand this as the Targum does: They sacrifice unto devils in which is no utility, for if there were at least any utility in them to the world (as e.g:, the sun, moon and stars) God’s jealousy would not have been so intense (lit. — doubled) as it is now. (Sifrei Devarim 318:13).

THEY SACRIFICED UNTO THE DEMONS, NO-GODS. I have [already] explained this.⁶⁴Leviticus 17:7 (Vol. III, pp. 235-237).

לשדים לא אלוה, forces which are not enduring; our sages in Chagigah 16 already taught us that these demons known as שדים are as mortal as is man himself.

לא אלוה, "non-deity." The Israelites do not offer sacrifices to these demons because they consider them as deities, but because they hope that by this means the demons would do their bidding and take care of their needs. Concerning other sacrifices, offered to deities because the Israelites offering these sacrifices do believe that they have divine powers, Moses says: אלהים לא ידעום, "gods they never knew before." Moses scores the Israelites for offering sacrifices to deities who never even demonstrated their power to the people who used to worship them previously. חדשים מקרוב באו, new ones, recently arrived." Compare what I have explained on Deut. 13,7 when we discussed the seducer.

ולא שערום, related to the demons known as שעירים, of whom we heard in Leviticus 17,7 that the Israelites whored after, as possessing some divine powers, capable of foretelling the future.

Who fulfill no need, etc. The word צרוך means “power” or “ability.” Rashi had to explain in this manner because afterwards it is written [in the verse], “gods they did not know.” If the meaning of this verse is like the plain meaning, that they are not gods, how does Scripture refer to them afterwards as “gods”? (Re”m)

V. 17. שדים .יזבחו לשדים וגו׳ kommt in תנך nur hier und, auf dieselbe Verirrung zurückblickend, (Ps.106, 37) vor. ויזבחו את בניהם ואת בנותיהם לשדים. Wurzel von שד ist שוד, verwandt mit שוד .שדד kommt nur noch einmal, für den Begriff שד aber sehr bezeichnend, vor: מקטב ישוד צהרים (Ps. 91 b). Während שדד mehr eine mechanische Plünderung und Zerstörung bedeutet, weist שוד auf die zerstörende Wirkung einer unsichtbaren Kraft hin. שדים sind unsichtbare, dem Blühen und Gedeihen schadende Kräfte, לא אלה die selbst in der Vorstellung des Völkerwahns nicht mit Göttermacht bekleidet sind, אלהים לא ידעום für welche auch ihnen keine zu irgend welcher Vergötterung veranlassende Erfahrung gegeben ist, חדשים מקרוב באו Wahngeburten neuester, jüngster Entdeckung oder Erfindung, לא שערום אבותיכם, vor denen selbst euren Voreltern vorabrahamitischer, polytheistischer Vergangenheit nie gegraut. — Es gibt nur eine Überzeugung, die Überzeugung von Gott, dem Einzig-Einen und seiner unmittelbaren Bundesnähe mit den Ihm huldigenden Menschen, welche den Menschen aufrichtet und emporhebt über alle anderen Mächte zwischen Himmel und Erde und ihn frei macht von jeder Furcht und jedem entwürdigenden, entsittlichenden Zittern vor wirklichen oder eingebildeten, seinem Gedeihen feindlichen Mächten. Aus dem Dienst des Einzig-Einen hinausgetreten, verliert das Menscheninnere allen Halt, und der Wunder wie frei sich Dünkende verfällt dem Zittern vor allen wirklich die auf sich gestellte Menschenmacht überragenden Mächten der Natur- und Schicksalsgewalten, wie vor allen Wahngeburten einer der Natur und Welt vermeintlich ihre Geheimnisse ablauschenden Deutung. Unter dem Wahrheitsstrahl des Einzig-Einen steht ihm alles im Sonnenlichte einer von einer Macht der Weisheit und Güte durchleuchteten Welt, in welcher alles, selbst über Nacht und Tod, über Schmerz und Untergang einem höhern Sein des Daseins und des Lebens, der Kraft und der Freude, der Unsterblichkeit und Ewigkeit zugeführt wird, und in welcher, durch seine nähere Kindschaft mit dem Einzig-Einen und seinem Ihm zugewandten Pflichtleben, der Mensch, schon in seinem Jetzt- und Hiersein mit seinem Vater verbunden, an der Hand seines Einzig-Einen selbst über Nacht und Tod dem Lichte und dem Leben heiter in ungetrübter Seligkeit entgegenzuwandeln vermag.

יזבחו לשדים, “they sacrificed to demons.” This is one of the most abhorrent forms of idolatry.

לשדים, “to demons;” the word is derived from the root שדד, “to ruin, lay waste.” Demons have that effect on the brains of human beings. (B’chor shor)

חדשים מקרב באו [THEY SACRIFICED … TO GODS] THAT CAME UP REGENTLY — i.e. with which even the heathen nations were not familiar. Indeed, if a heathen saw them he would say, “This is a Jewish idol” (Sifrei Devarim 318:14).

אלוהים לא ידעום, חדשים מקרוב באו, whenever they discover a phenomenon not previously known to them they thought that this must be an ancient power and proceeded promptly to worship it.

If they had fulfilled some need. Meaning that you should not ask: Since it is written “ineffectual,” it implies that if they would have had powers, such as the stars and the constellations, they would not have provoked His jealousy. But how could it mean this? It is already written, “And lest you raise your eyes heavenward ... or the moon or [the stars] — the entire host of the heavens, etc.” (Devarim 4:19).

Verschließt sich das Menschenauge diesem Lichte und diesem Leben, so versinkt ihm die Welt in eine mit Gespenstern der Wirklichkeit und der Einbildung erfüllte Nacht, in welche er nur das Grubenlicht seiner Erfahrungen zum Pfadfinder, in welcher er nur mit feindlichen Dämonen den Kampf um Glück und Dasein zu bestehen hat, und jede Lust und Freude ihm mit Ekel und Enttäuschung endet, zu welcher er mit Weinen ins Dasein tritt, um mit Jammer und Entsagung aus ihr zu scheiden und, wo der Mensch das Unglückseligste aller Geschöpfe ist, weil er das Bewusstsein hat, das Unglückseligste zu sein und er einen unabweisbaren, und doch — ohne Pflichtleben — ewig unbefriedigt bleibenden Anspruch auf Glückseligkeit und Frieden im Busen trägt. — Von der Glückseligkeit einer Gotteswelt zu dem Pessimismus einer Dämonenwelt, das ist der ganze trostlose Weg, den von je der Abfall von Gott, dem Einzig-Einen zurückgelegt hat, das ist auch der Weg, der von Israels Abfall hier gezeichnet ist: ויטש אלה עשהו וגו׳ יקנאהו בזרים וגו׳ יזבחו לשדים וגו׳.

לא אלוה, “no-gods;” these demons possess no power whatsoever. Compare Ezekiel 17,13: ואת אילי הארץ לקח, “and the ‘mighty’ of the land he took away. [Nebuchadnezzar carried away those who had thought of themselves as ‘mighty.’ Ed.] Onkelos translates our verse as meaning that they are useless. (the demons) If they had any value at all Moses would not condemn worshipping them with such vehemence as he does here. A certain Roman said to Rabbi Shimon, wondering about Exodus 20,5 where Hashem is described as a “jealous” G–d, why this G–d would be jealous of a “nobody.” A truly powerful person is jealous only of another powerful person, not of someone clearly inferior. Why does Moses describe G–d’s jealousy as having been aroused by a “no-god” so that he retaliates by arousing the jealousy of His people by a “no-people?” Rabbi Shimon answered him by using a parable to illustrate his point. A man had married an extremely attractive looking wife. After a while he took a second wife who was ugly in the extreme. His first wife became extremely angry at her husband, saying to him that she could have understood it if he had married another attractive woman who would have been competition to her. The fact that he married an ugly woman, she felt was a deliberate insult, suggesting that she was just as ugly as the second wife he had taken. (Compare Talmud, tractate Avodah zarah, folio 55.) Moses is telling the people that although G–d would be angry at them for worshipping the sun, which appears powerful and a source of life to them, instead of worshipping Him Who had created the sun; but to worship something that is totally useless to them was an additional insult which He resents accordingly with great anger.

New gods that came up of late: They were never called gods until now that you have fashioned them (as in Exodus 34:1) for yourselves and you have raised them up to be gods.

לא ידעום, “that they have not known;” the brain of human beings is described as not possessing knowledge, as opposed to G-d Who is always described as “knowing,” i.e. וידע אלוקים, (Exodus 2,25) or כי ידעתי את מכאוביו, ”for I have known its pains;” (Exodus 3, 7) The socalled “deities” which idolaters worship have absolutely no knowledge of the emotions of the people who worship them. As to the reason why such “deities” cannot help their worshippers, this is because they are new, often even of more recent origin than their worshippers, .חדשים מקרוב באו

לא שערום אבתיכם — This means, which your fathers feared not; more literally it means: Their hair (שער) did not stand up on end because of them — for it is the nature of a person’s hair to stand up out of fear. Thus is it (the word שערום) explained in Sifrei Devarim 318:15. But it is also possible to explain it as being connected with the noun in (Isaiah 13:21) “And שעירים shall dance there”; שעירים are demons (satyrs), and the meaning of our verse would then be: your fathers never made these satyrs.

The vengeance would not have been as doubly harsh as now. If you ask: Rashi explain earlier, in parshas Ki Sissa (Shemos 32:11) “Why should Your anger be aroused” that a mighty person is only jealous of another mighty person, etc. and if so, why should the vengeance be doubled? The answer is that earlier it was pertaining to prayer to appease Hashem, so Moshe said, “Why should Your anger be provoked? That a mighty person, etc.” However, with regard to punishment, when Hashem comes to punish those who perform idolatry, the punishment is greater, for [worshipping] a god who has no power.

ספרי) שלא עמדה שערת אבותיכם בפניהם :לא שערום), vor denen euren Vätern nicht das Haar zu Berge gestanden, vor denen eure Väter kein Grauen, kein Entsetzen empfunden. So auch ומלכיהם שערו בשער (Ezech. 27, 35), ישערו עליך שער (daselbst 32, 10). Ähnlich: תסמר שערת בשרי (Job. 4, 15).

אלהים לא ידעום, “a deity they had never heard of.” They had heard of it, but had never heard that it possessed any power. Rabbi Joseph Kara explains the reason why Moses chose this expression as being that we have a verse in Exodus 3,7: where G–d tells Moses that He is well aware of the people’s pains, כי ידעתי את מכאוביו, that the deities His people turned to were ones which had no such knowledge. How could such deities help when they were completely unaware of the problems its worshippers faced?

Gods that they knew not: They did not know any gain [from them], nor any power; so they did not make them into gods except from the evil impulse and to cause anger [to God]. For they themselves did not know them as gods, but rather knew that there was no substance to them. Rather it was from the evil impulse. And R. Yosef Kara, may his memory be blessed, explained: "Gods did not know them" - regarding the Holy One, blessed be He, it is stated (Exodus 2:25), "and God knew"; "I have known its sufferings" (3:7). But [these gods] did not know their difficulties, and did not help them.

לא שערום אבותיכם, “your fathers had not been in dread of them.” (their hairs, שער, did not stand on edge in fear of them.) Seeing that they did not punish your forefathers, פקד, you had no reason to fear them and sinned relentlessly.

They did not fear them, etc. The description “awed by them” would be like “My children are gone forth of me” (Yirmeyah 10:20), which means “they came out from me” or “lest you be filled with it” (Mishlei 25:16) which means “filled from it.” Similarly here, “awed by them” means in awe of them.

אבותיכם, nicht אבותיהם, vergl. Josua 24, 2. בעבר הנהר ישבו אבותיכם מעולם תרח אכי אברהם ואבי נחור ויעבדו אלהים אחרים. Sie fallen in eine noch tiefere Nacht der Verirrung zurück, als die eurer vorabrahamitischen Vorfahren gewesen und aus welcher ihr mit Abraham euch emporgehoben habet.

חדשים מקרוב באו, “new gods that came up of late.” These so called deities had never been considered as deities by anyone.

In addition, one may explain the word se’arum [as having the same meaning] as “demons”, etc. Here too it would mean “awed by them.” But the word “by them” would mean “from the demons” which refers to the demons mentioned above. The word שערום means “they made demons” just as מאלמים means אלומים (makes bundles)” (Bereishis 37:7). (Re”m)

לא שערום אבותיכם, “gods that your fathers had never dreaded.” The word שער in Aramaic is equivalent to the Hebrew פוקד, compare Targum Deuteronomy 5,9, and thus would mean “remembering with a view to punishing.”

תשי means THOU HAST FORGOTTEN. But our Rabbis explained it thus: whenever He was about to bestow good upon you, you provoked Him to anger and, as it were, weakened (תש) His power so that He could not do you good (Sifrei Devarim 319:3).

צור ילדך תשי, even you, Yeshurun, the one blessed with erudition, once you turned your attention to the physical enjoyments of life on earth, undermined, weakened your wisdom and your knowledge about the greatness of G’d and His Torah.

You disregard. The letter yud, with the value of 10, is small, to imply that Hashem gave you Ten Commandments, and you tested Him with ten trials, and also to imply that Hashem should remember Avraham whom he tested with ten tests.

צור ילדך תשי, "You neglected the Rock that begot you;" This is best understood in connection with Sanhedrin 38 that at the time G'd was about to create man, He consulted with the angels about His project. Some angels strenuously opposed the creation of man. G'd not only ignored these angels and created man, but He punished the angels who had opposed man's creation. Whenever Israel sins this weakens G'd's argument in favour of having created man. This is what Moses meant when he said ילדך תשי, "you weaken the One who begot you."

ילדך, as in Genesis 10.26 when the Torah writes ויקטן ילד את אלמודד, where the verb ילד though it appears in the kal-mode, is to be understood in the transitive hiphil-mode, as הוליד, “he sired.”

Thus weakening His capacity for benevolence towards you. It comes from the same root as “His strength תשש (became weak) like a female” (Rashi Bamidbar 11:15). According to the first explanation, the word תשי comes from the root “I נשיתי (forgot) prosperity” (Eicha 3:17).

V. 18. צור ילדך וגו׳. Ist wieder eine, wie שמנת וגו׳ (V. 15) an das damalige und jedes kommende Geschlecht gerichtete, einen allgemeinen Erfahrungssatz aus Israels Geschichte enthaltende Anrede.

צור ילדך תשי, “You neglected the Rock that begot you;” You forgot the Almighty Who formed you in your mother’s womb and caused you to be born; you did all this on account of something new that had not proven itself in any way.

צור ילדך, “of the Rock that begot you,” the word is used in the conjugation kal, actively, although its meaning is causative; we find an example of this mode in Genesis 10,24: וארפכשד ילד את שלח, “and Arpachshad sired Shalach,” instead of הוליד. Similarly, in the same verse: ושלח ילד את עבר, “and Shalach sired Ever.”

אל מחללך means, God Who has brought you forth out of the womb. It has the same meaning as in (Psalms 29:9) “[The voice of the Lord] makes hinds to bring forth (יחולל)”, and (Psalms 48:7) “travail (חיל) as that of a woman in childbirth”.

ותשכח א-ל מחוללך, Who had treated you so well. Compare Isaiah 51, 12-13 אנכי הוא מנחמכם...ותשכח ה' עושך נוטה שמים וארץ, “I, I am He Who comforts you!…You have forgotten the Lord your Maker, Who stretched the skies and made firm the earth.”

תשי, from the root נשה, to be weakened, the construction teshi parallels אל תט אל דרכיה from the root נטה, to deviate, turn away. The letter י at the end of the word תשי, parallels the word תמחי instead of תמחה in Jeremiah 18,23. It means the same as if it had been spelled with the letter ה at the end instead of the letter י.

ותשכח אל מחללך, "You forgot the G'd who brought you forth." The word מחללך may be understood as a reference to jewels as in Hoseah 2,15 ותעד נזמה וחליתה, "when she was decked out with her nose-rings and her jewelry," etc. What Moses means is that Israel forgot the very G'd who had made her a more precious jewel than any other creature including the angels. Compare Psalms 66,12, or Isaiah 49,3 "Israel in whom I glory." G'd means that He wears the name of Israel like a person wears a jewel. Our sages have offered a variety of interpretations of this verse.

Wäre תשי von נשה, so würde ש ein Dagesch haben. So weist es wie יהי ,תחי auf eine Wurzel שיה hin. שיה ist aber die Wurzel von שי, eine Huldigungsgabe, לך יובילו מלכים שי (Ps. 68, 30), יובל שי לד׳ צבאות (Jes.18, 7) wie גַי von גיה. Hat er dich erst geboren, so bringst du deinen Hort, statt Ihm zu huldigen, andern zur Huldigung, d. h. gibst du ihn als ferner für dich wert- und bedeutungslos auf, um damit anderen zu huldigen, ותשכח אל מחוללך, habe ich es doch erlebt, dass du selbst Gottes vergaßest, noch indem Er in deiner Erzeugung begriffen war, noch ehe du, wie z. B. in der Wüste, an das Ziel einer selbständigen Existenz gelangt warst und noch auf dem Wege dahin in jedem Augenblicke dich von Gott getragen und seine Waltung dir gegenwärtig fühlen musstest! Auch dieses צור ילדך תשי, diese Leichtfertigkeit, nach kaum erreichten besseren Zuständen das altjüdische Verhältnis zu Gott zu verleugnen, um mit dieser Verleugnung einer anderen Macht zu huldigen und deren Gunst zu erlangen, ist kein vereinzeltes Faktum in der jüdischen Entwicklungsgeschichte.

ותשכח א-ל מחוללך, “you forgot the Divine Power who brought you forth. Moses repeats the thought as it seems so unbelievable that the Jewish people could ever become so foolish. Once I have done this, Moses quotes G–d as saying: אראה מה אחריתם, “I will see what their end shall be;” G–d will watch what use their new found deity has been to them.

תשי, “was unmindful;” the letter י in this word, is just like the letter י in Jeremiah 18,23: אלתמחי, where it is also superfluous and the prophet could have written: אל תמח, “do not wipe out!”

מחוללך, “that bore you;” a reminder how when you were (brought out of Egypt you danced for joy and sang songs; מחולות, dances.

[AND THE ETERNAL SAW, AND SPURNED,] BECAUSE OF THE PROVOKING OF HIS SONS AND HIS DAUGHTERS. Scripture uncustomarily mentions here “the daughters” — for just as he said above lo banav⁶⁵Above, Verse 5. [which although literally means “not His sons,” it is yet the custom of Scripture to use it for sons and daughters, rather than specify daughters separately], and so also wherever he mentions banim (sons) the daughters are included. [Why then does the verse before us make special reference to His daughters?] But this phrase is among his [Moses’] allusions, for, in the generation of the destruction [of the First Temple], the wickedness of the women and their sin would be very great because they provoked G-d. They were especially attached to the idols, and it was they who enticed the men to worship them, as is made clear in the words of Jeremiah, Then all the men who knew that their wives offered unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great assembly.⁶⁶Jeremiah 44:15. It was they [the women] who were impudent against the prophet, saying to him, But we will certainly perform every word that is gone forth out of our mouth, to offer unto the queen of heaven.⁶⁷Ibid., Verse 17. And it is further written there, in that ye provoke Me with the works of your hands, offering unto other gods,⁶⁸Ibid., Verse 8. and again it is stated, Have ye forgotten the wicked deeds of your fathers, and the wicked deeds of the kings of Judah, and the wicked deeds of their wives?⁶⁹Ibid., Verse 9. And in the Book of Ezekiel it is further stated, He said also unto me: ‘Thou shalt again see yet greater abominations which they do.’ Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Eternal’s House, which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat the women weeping for Tammuz.⁷⁰Ezekiel 8:13-14. Ezekiel was a contemporary of Jeremiah whose prophetic activity was in Babylon.

וינאץ מכעס בניו ובנותיו, after He had failed to make you attain your perfection while on your own land, He chose a third route, namely to refine your character while you were in exile; by doing this He appeared to despise His sons and His daughters, and did not display mercy on their children nor respect the dignity of their daughters.

בניו ובנותיו, בנים לא אמון בם. We explained this already on verse 5 where we understood it as a reference to Israel’s character flaw of disloyalty.

מכעס בניו ובנותיו, “by the anger aroused in Him by His sons and daughters.” Nachmanides writes that the reason why we suddenly find the Jewish women mentioned separately, is that in the last generation, the one during which the destruction of the Temple would occur, the Jewish women would be exceptionally wicked in their deeds. Their deeds (misdeeds) would greatly inflame G’d’s anger. As a result of their devotion to cults, they would seduce their husbands, something documented in the Book of Jeremiah, chapter 44.

מכעס בניו ובנותיו, “by the anger caused by His sons and daughters.” This was an allusion to the first Temple when both men and women practiced idolatry as we know from Jeremiah 44,9: “have you forgotten the wicked acts of your forefathers, of the kings of Yehudah and their wives?” We have another verse relating to his subject in Ezekiel 8,14: “next He brought me to the entrance of the north-gate of the House of the Lord and there sat the women bewailing Tammuz.” (a Babylonian god). This is why our verse lists “His sons and His daughters,” separately.

VV. 19 u. 20. וירא ד׳ וגו׳ (siehe Kap. 31, 17 u. 18, 19). Das sah Gott usw. und darum sprach Er ׳אסתירה וגו. Wenn du in der Wucht der Leiden darüber klagst, dass Gottes Beistand sich nicht mehr wie früher in deiner Mitte zeigt, so hast du hier die Antwort.

וינאץ (siehe Bamidbar 14, 11). Er fühlte sich durch nichts mehr gehalten, sah nichts mehr seines Bleibens würdig (vergl. Jirm. 33, 23). ואת עמי ינאצון מהיות עוד גוי לפניהם, und mein Volk halten sie nicht mehr würdig, oder erklären sie nicht mehr würdig, nach ihrer Ansicht ein Volk ferner zu sein.

ויאמר אסתירה וגו׳. Sie glauben Meiner und Meines Beistandes entraten zu können, mögen sie einmal erfahren, wohin sie ohne mich geraten. אסתירה פני מהם, will ihnen meine besondere Fürsorge nicht mehr sichtbar werden lassen. כי דור תהפכות המה, sie sind ein Geschlecht voller Wandlungen, sie wechseln rasch ihre Gesinnungen, gehen rasch von einer Stimmung zum Gegenteil über. Im Leid suchen sie mich, und ist ihnen geholfen, vergessen sie Mich.

מה אחריתם [I WILL SEE] WHAT THEIR END SHALL BE — i.e. what will come upon them in the end.

AND HE SAID — “that is, and G-d said in His heart, or to the angels. I WILL HIDE MY FACE FROM THEM. This expression is according to the language of man; so also, I will hide Mine eyes from you.⁷¹Isaiah 1:15. And the meaning thereof is that when they will seek Me they will not find Me. I WILL SEE WHAT THEIR END SHALL BE. Some scholars say: ‘I will hide My face from them because I see what they will do in the end.’ But the correct interpretation is as its simple implication: ‘[I will hide My face] until I will see what they do in their distress.’” Thus far are the words of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra. Now the word vayomer (and He said) applies only to the thought and the will before Him to do so, [rather than to an actual statement], similar to the expression and G-d said⁷²Genesis 1:3. in the account of Creation. I have already explained it.⁷³Ibid. (Vol. I, pp. 27-28). I have also explained the expression My face by way of the Truth.⁷⁴Exodus 20:3 (Vol. II, pp. 290-291). Thus, I will hide My face means that I will remove My Divine Presence. I will see what their end shall be is similar to I will go down now, and see,⁷⁵Genesis 18:21. which I have already explained.⁷⁶Ibid., Verse 20 (Vol. I, pp. 243-245). For they are a generation of perversity⁷⁷In Verse 20 before us. and they will not be able to stand up before Me. Children in whom is no ‘eimun’ (training),⁷⁷In Verse 20 before us. for they have no nurse nor tutor. The person learned in the mysteries of the Cabala will understand.⁷⁸See Ramban to Leviticus 26:42 (Vol. III, p. 475): “Ask on my behalf about the welfare of she who raises them” (Abusaula).
Now, up to this point Moses utters the Song and speaks in the first person. From this verse onward, wherein he mentioned, And the Eternal saw, and spurned,⁷⁹Verse 19. And He said: ‘I will hide My face’⁷⁷In Verse 20 before us. — they are all the words of the Glorious Name:⁸⁰Above, 28:58. They have roused Me to jealousy;⁸¹Verse 21. they have provoked Me,⁸¹Verse 21. and similarly the entire Song [to the end].

אסתירה פני מהם, from the sons and daughters.

כי דור תהפוכות המה, "for they are a generation who have reversed themselves." Inasmuch as G'd had said in the first half of this verse that He would hide His face from them, awaiting what would befall the Israelites, this implies that even if they were to turn penitent -seeing G'd would not observe this as He had stopped watching what the Israelites were doing,- He would not accept such penitence. Moses offers as the reason for such an attitude by G'd that the people have turned already from good to evil; he adds בנים ולא אמון בם, "they are thoroughly faithless children." Even if they were to repent to the point of again qualifying for the description of children (of G'd), such repentance will not endure as they are fickle and do not keep faith. As a result of such considerations G'd hides His face from them.

ויאמר אסתירה פני מהם, “so that He said: ‘I will hide My face from them.” Ibn Ezra refers to commentators who understand this line as being addressed by one attribute of Hashem to another attribute of His. Alternately, Hashem said this to the angels, adding: “let us see how they will fare in the end?” G’d meant that what He was going to do was in order that what He had foreseen as their eventual future could materialize. Ibn Ezra himself feels that the correct interpretation is to understand it at face value, i.e. “let us find out how they will react when they find themselves in serious trouble.”

ויאמר אסתירה פני מהם, “He said: ‘I will hide My face from them.’” I have already mentioned in Genesis 1,3 that the term אמירה, i.e. ויאמר, when applied to G’d reflects a benevolent kind of utterance or thought [when it was not uttered in someone’s hearing such as at the time when there were no creatures as yet who could hear the utterance. Ed.]. We may understand the words אסתירה פני as 'אסתיר ה', “I will hide the attribute ה which is “My face.”

What will occur to them at their end. What is desired is only to know what will happen to them in the end, not what will be their end, for their end will be death. Even without Hashem hiding His face, every creature must die. Rather it means what will be their punishment as a result of Hashem hiding His face.

ויאמר אסתירה פני מהם, so that I said: “I’ll hide My face from them.” According to the Targum, this is an expression meaning that G–d will withdraw His benevolent Presence from them.

אסתירה פני מהם, “I will hide My face from them;” by doing so I will await what awaits them when I do not supervise their fate every minute. We will see how useful the stars will be which they worship instead of Me. (B’chor shor)

כי דור תהפכת המה FOR THEY ARE A GENERATION OF PERVERSITY - i.e. they change (הפך) My goodwill into anger.

אראה מה אחריתם, because I can foresee that there is no chance that they will become penitents.

They upset My good will and turn it to wrath. Not that they are the ones who turn, like its plain meaning. His proof is from that which is it is written, “Because, etc. and the word “because” always explains what precedes it. This is simple to understand.

כי דור תהפוכות המה, “for they are a treacherous generation;” they had considered the beneficial acts I had performed for them as harmful for them. As a result they became disloyal to Me.

כי דור תהפוכות המה, “for they are a perverse generation;” only yesterday they said: “we will carry out everything the Lord bids us to do as soon as we will hear the details;” (Exodus 24,7) today they say to a golden calf: “you have taken us out of Egypt.” (Exodus 32,4)

לא אמן בם means, My training is not evident in them, for I showed them the good way and they have deviated from it.

כי דור תהפוכות המה for they have thoroughly turned their hearts away from the path of the living G’d;

My training is not noticeable in them, etc. The meaning of אמן (breeding) is similar to [the verse], “He אומן (raised) Hadassah” (Esther 2:7). And he adds the word “noticeable” for without this addition it would mean “My training is not in them,” that “I have not trained them.” Therefore he added the word “noticeable.”

אמן is of the same meaning as in (Esther 2:7) “And he brought up (אמן) Hadassah”. Nouriture in old French — Another explanation of אמן: it has the same meaning as אמונה, faithfulness, as the Targum takes it (“in whom there is no faithfulness”). At Sinai they said, “We will do and we will hearken” and after a very short time they broke their promise and made the golden calf (Sifrei Devarim 320:6).

בנים לא אמון בם, completely faithless children who had not learned from their fathers any true values in life.

Another interpretation, אֵמֻן denotes “faithfulness”, etc. According to the first reason it is difficult to explain why it did not say אמן with a vav. Therefore Rashi gives an alternative explanation. And according to the alternative explanation it is difficult because it should have said אמון.

קנאוני means, they made My anger glow (cf. Rashi on v. 16).

THEY HAVE ROUSED ME TO JEALOUSY WITH A NO-GOD — “with something that is not a god.” This is Rashi’s language. And if so, He alludes to the demons mentioned earlier.⁶⁷Ibid., Verse 17. The correct interpretation is that He is stating: “They have roused Me to jealousy with an untrue god, for there is no G-d save the Eternal,⁸²See Psalms 18:32. and beside Him there is no savior,”⁸³Hosea 13:4. similar to what is stated, Now for long seasons Israel was without the true G-d.⁸⁴II Chronicles 15:3.

הם קנאוני בלא אל, the generations during the first Temple aroused My jealousy because they practiced idolatry, i.e. they worshipped “non-gods,”

הם קנאוני בלא א-ל, “They have aroused My jealousy by means of a non-deity, etc.” Seeing that they chose to exchange Me for something which has no power to save anyone, (compare Ezekiel 8,3 that the סמל הקנאה המקנה, it is the image of jealousy which provokes jealousy. Seeing that G’d is a jealous G’d, such symbols provoke His latent jealousy.)

V. 21. הם קנאוני וגו׳. Sie haben wesenlosen, von jeder selbst vermeintlichen Göttermacht fernen Dingen eine nur mir gebührende Huldigung erwiesen, haben selbst mit Dingen, deren zweck- und zukunftlose Nichtigkeit auf Händen lag, mir zuwider gehandelt: ich lasse sie durch Bevölkerungen rechtsberaubt werden, die selbst schon im eigenen sozialen Zusammenhang alle ein Volksdasein bedingende Rechtsachtung verloren haben — sie drückten und beraubten sich unter einander, und folgerichtig die Juden umsomehr, — בגוי נבל אכעיסם, gebe ihnen Kummer durch Völker, die keineswegs besser sind als sie, die selbst schon ihre völkersittliche Blüte hinter sich haben und an aller ausschweifenden und grausamen Entartung ihre Weide finden.

ואני אקניאם בלא עם, ”I will rouse them to jealousy with a no-people;” G–d retaliates by making the punishment fit the crime. It seems as if G–d is referring to bands of terrorists who will invade their land temporarily before leaving destruction in their wake. These terrorists are called “no-people,” as they are hated universally, seeing they do not only single out the land of Israel for their activities.

בלא עם, “with a vile nation.” (literally, a nonation). Compare Isaiah 23,13: "זה העם לא היה" “this nation never existed.”

בלא אל means, with something that is not a god.

whereas the generations during the second Temple made Me angry with their reliance of various vain phenomena. As a fitting punishment

ואני אקניאם בלא-עם, “so I will (retaliate) by provoking them by a non-people.” [A group of human beings claiming to be a nation and having the rights of a nation although they do not share the ingredients which make a people into a nation. Compare the Palestinians in our days. Ed.] Moses referred to the Jews being exiled by the Babylonians (compare Isaiah 23,13 who ridicules the Babylonians’ claim to nationhood, seeing the Assyrians had annihilated that people.)
בגוי נבל אכעיסם, “I will make them angry by means of a vile nation.” This is an allusion to the exile under the Edomites (Romans). The reason the Torah refers in such demeaning terms to the Edomites is because the founders of this nation denied the genetic bond which existed between their common ancestor Yitzchok. Instead of assisting his kin, that nation watched gloatingly when the first Temple was being destroyed (Ovadiah 11). You will also find that Assaph referred to Edom as נבל, vile, in psalm 74,18 where we read: ”be mindful of how the enemy blasphemes the Lord, how base people revile the Lord;” he continues in verse 22 of the same psalm: “rise O G’d, champion Your cause; be mindful that You are blasphemed by base men all day long.” In verse 19 of that psalm the author writes: “do not deliver Your dove to the wild beast; do not ignore forever the band of Your lowly ones.” All of this is meant to make plain that the base people, עם נבל, he referred to was the חיה הרביעית, the “fourth beast” in Daniel’s vision, a reference to the kingdom of Edom. (Our author elaborated on this in connection with Bileam’s prophecies Numbers 24,28). (Compare also Psalms 68,31 where the “beast of the marsh” is a reference to Edom.)

THEY HAVE PROVOKED ME WITH THEIR VANITIES — [their vain belief in] the demons. AND I WILL ROUSE THEM TO JEALOUSY WITH A NO-PEOPLE — the Chaldeans, of whom it is said, Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, this is the people that was not,⁸⁵Isaiah 23:13. meaning the people that were not esteemed as a nation, and the Holy One, blessed be He, raised them to subjugate His world through them, as He said, Thou art My maul and weapons of war.⁸⁶Jeremiah 51:20. I WILL PROVOKE THEM WITH A ‘NAVAL’ (VILE) NATION — with Esau who is vile, and he remembered not the brotherly covenant.⁸⁷Amos 1:9. He thus alludes to both exiles [by the hands of the Chaldeans, i.e., the Babylonians; and by the Edomites, the Romans].

בלא עם [I WILL MOVE THEM TO JEALOUSY] WITH THOSE WHO ARE NOT A PEOPLE — i.e. with a nation that has no reputation, as it states e.g. of the Chaldeans (Isaiah 23:13), “Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, this people was not; [the Assyrians founded it …]”, and of Esau it states (Obadia 1:2) “Thou art greatly despicable”.

אקניאם בלא עם, during the first Temple I will arouse their jealousy by the “non-people,” the Babylonians, destroying the Temple and taking them captive, (compare Isaiah 23,13 and how he describes the Chaldaens), whereas the second Temple will be destroyed through a thoroughly wicked nation

בגוי נבל אכעיסם I WILL PROVOKE THEM TO ANGER WITH A DEBASED NATION — these are the “Minim”, the heretics. So indeed, it states, (Psalms 14:1) “The heretic (נבל) hath said in his heart “There is no God” (Sifrei Devarim 320:10; Yevamot 63b).

,בגוי נבל אכעיסם, possessing neither their own language nor alphabet. (Gittin 80).

קדחה means, IT BURNS.

כי אש קדחה באפי, for when I disciplined them in order to induce them to repent their sins this people lit a fire in My wrath ותיקד עד שאול תחתית, they heaped sin upon sin until My wrath burned to the very bottom of Sheol, (lowest layer of purgatory). In other words, their punishment would consist of being consigned to this lowest region of purgatory. (compare Chronicles II 28,22 describing Achaz adding sins as a result of his kingdom having been severely chastised by G’d.)

Down to the foundation. He added the words “you” and “your land” for without this we would not know who would be burned or which land.

V. 22. כי אש קדחה באפי. Denn die zerstörende Macht, die über sie kam, kam infolge meines Unwillens über sie, das gab dieser Macht die so tief und weit greifende zerstörende Gewalt.

ותלהט מוסדי הרים, “(the fire) and set ablaze the foundations of the mountains;” this is analogous to what we read in Job 34,22: אין חשך ואין צלמות להסתר שם פועלי און, “neither darkness nor gloom offers a hiding-place for the evil doers.”

כי אש קדחה באפי, “for a fire is kindled in My ostril;” the jealousy kindled that fire in G-d’s nostril. An alternate interpretation of this simile: though written in the active mode, this word is to be understood as if it had been written in the passive mode, i.e. נקדחה. We have other examples of words written in the active mode actually portraying something that has happened, i.e. passive; one such example is found in Genesis 14,3: כל אלה חברו, “all these (kings) came together,” whereas we would have expected the reflexive/passive mode נתחברו. (Compare Ibn Ezra)

ותיקד AND IT SHALL BLAZE in your midst to the very foundations (Rashi merely supplies the words “in your midst” and paraphrases עד שאול תחתית).

ותלהט מוסדי הרים, it burned and consumed down to the foundations of the mountains. The “mountains” are a simile for the high-ranking personages, all of whom were the first ones to be exiled prior to the destruction of the first Temple. (compare prediction by Isaiah 3, 1-3)

Jerusalem, which is founded on the mountains, etc. Otherwise, why is “the bases of mountains” needed? Scripture has already written that the entire land will be consumed! Rather it is referring to Jerusalem, which is founded on mountains and has its own unique importance.

ותאכל ארץ ויבולה, “ it has consumed the earth and its produce.” This happened in order to starve your people.

ותאכל ארץ ויבלה AND IT SHALL CONSUME THE LAND WITH HER INCREASE — i.e., your land and its produce (Rashi means that ארץ does not mean “the ground”, “the soil”).

ותלהט מוסדי הרים, “and sets ablaze the foundations of the mountains.” Anyone hiding beneath the mountains will be forced to flee from fear of the approaching enemies. As an example, we may recall Judges 6,2, when the Israelites had dug tunnels to hide in caves from their adversaries under the mountains. An alternate interpretation of this simile: “setting the base of mountains ablaze,” means that they could not flee there on account of the fire.

ותלהט AND IT SHALL SET ON FIRE [THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS] — i.e. Jerusalem that is founded on the mountains, as it is said, (Psalms 125:2) “Jerusalem, mountains are round about it” (Sifrei Devarim 320:12).

אספה עלימו רעות — This means, I will join evil to evil, אספה having the same meaning as in (Isaiah 29:1) “add ye (ספו) year to year”; (Deuteronomy 29:18) “in order to add (ספות) the drunkenness to the thirst”; (Jeremiah 7:21) “Add (ספו) your burnt offerings to your sacrifices”. — Another explanation of אספה: it means, “I will expend” (bring to an end so that there will be no more evils to bring upon them); similar to (Genesis 19:15) “lest thou be brought to an end (תספה).

אספה עלימו רעות חצי אכלה בם. It is customary for Scripture to repeat the same thing in different words. Here the purpose is to inform the reader that the victim will be struck by a whole variety of disasters. G’d will use most of the ammunition at His disposal to punish the guilty.

Another interpretation of אספה, “I shall consume, etc. In other words, I will deploy all the evils against them; no evil of the evils will be left, but all of them will be deployed against them. This is similar to “I shall deplete my arrows against them” which means that I will throw all My arrows against them. Rashi needed the alternative explanation because according to the first explanation it is difficult, for it should have written אספו from the term “ספו (you join) year on year” (Yeshayah 29:1), and not אספה with a hei, which is from the term “תספה (destroy)” (Bereishis 18:23). And according to the second explanation alone it is also difficult because it is written afterwards, “I shall deplete my arrows against them.” But the arrows have already been included in the [aforementioned] evils! Some ask that earlier in parshas Nitzavim (Devarim 29:18) Rashi explained the phrase ספות הרוה “so that I shall punish him additionally, etc.” but here Rashi explains ספות הרוה as meaning “to join the sated.” One could answer that every addition means adding to something else, and therefore it joins it. Accordingly, “addition” and “join” have the same meaning and are the same concept. Earlier Rashi explained that it is a term meaning “addition” because of its context, since it is not plausible to say “I will join,” for there is no punishment for unintentional sins. So how could it say “I will join punishment to punishment”? Therefore Rashi explained it as “additionally.” But here, there is no mention of unintentional sin, but rather intentional sin, so according to its context he explains it as “joining.” It also appears to me that one could answer that the plain meaning of אספה whenever it appears is “addition.” However, here one cannot explain it to mean “addition,” because that would mean that would imply that Hashem will add greater punishments than what they have sinned, but this is not so. Hashem only punishes according the wickedness the person commits before Him. Therefore Rashi was forced to explain here that it means “joined.” Therefore Rashi brought all of these verses and explained them as meaning “joined” so that at first glance you would not ask regarding his explanation, because he explains that the word “אספה” as “joined/linked” in all the verses that he cites. I explained similarly above on the verse “He armed his trained servants” (Bereishis 14:14). See there.

V. 23. ספה ,אספה וגו׳: eines zum andern legen, verwandt mit ספח (siehe Kap. 29, 18). Ich bins, von dem ihnen die gehäuften Leiden kommen, jedes Leid ist ein Pfeil von mir, und אכלה בם, meine verschiedenartigsten Leidenverhängnisse sende ich über sie und gebe ihnen zugleich die Kraft, sie alle zu überdauern, (Sifri) הצי כלו והם אינן כלים!

אספה עלימו רעות , “I will heap evils upon them;” in other words: “I will not spare them any of the evils that are in existence.”

אספה, “I will heap;” from the word אסיפה, collecting. The root is used also in Numbers 32,14: לספות עוד על חרון אף ה', “to augment still further G-d’s anger.

חצי אכלה בם means all my arrows I will use to the full against them (i.e., there will be no arrows left). This curse according to the wording in which the punishment is expressed, implies a blessing: My arrows will come to an end, but they themselves will not come to an end (i.e. they will never be exterminated) (Sifrei Devarim 321:2; Sotah 9a).

חצי אכלה בם, “I will use all My arrows against them.” By repeating himself, apparently, Moses stresses that G–d will use all the destructive power at His disposal.

מזי רעב — Onkelos rendered this by “swollen by famine”. I have, however, no convincing proof for this meaning. In the name of R. Moses the Preacher of Toulouse have heard that it is the same as שעירי רעב, “hairy through hunger”, for an emaciated person grows much hair on his flesh.

מזי רעב. This word has different meanings in different contexts. When it appears in the Talmud as in Chulin 45 it means ((נתמזמז being emptied of vital content.

מזי רעב, “bloating of famine;” Ibn Ezra understands the expression as “burned by the pangs of hunger,” as in Daniel 3,19 למזא לאתונה, “to heat up the kiln.”

מזי רעב, “burned by famine.” The expression is used in this sense in Daniel 3,19 where it refers to stoking a furnace i.e. למזא לאתונא. The idea appears to be that on account of the pangs of hunger, one’s natural warmth is burning up healthy tissue seeing it does not have food to burn up. As a result these people will be consumed by raging fever.

He would tousle his hair. This is a term from the Gemara (Megilla 18a). Rashi wishes to bring proof for the explanation of R’ Moshe Hadarshan.

VV. 24 u. 25. מזי רעב וגו׳. Hier folgt die Schilderung der verschiedenen Pfeile der Gottesverhängnisse, die Israel alle zu überdauern hat, (V. 24) durch die gegen sie empörte Natur, (V. 25) durch das gegen sie gerichtete Völkerwüten. — מזי von מזה (wie מְתֵי von מתה), verwandt mit מסה, aufgelöst werden, schwinden, מצה aussaugen, bedeutet das Schwinden der Säfte durch Hunger. — רשף die innere Glut, so von der Eifersucht: רשפיה רשפי אש (Hohel. 8, 6). Hier: die Fieberglut. — קטב, verwandt mit קטף Abrupfen von Ähren (Kap. 23, 26), eine plötzliche Todesart, die den Menschen unvorbereitet wegrafft. זחל .והלי עפר rabbinisch das Hinfließen des Wassers am Boden, מזחילה Dachrinne. Daher auch Bezeichnung des Hinschleichens von Schlangen am Boden. Verwandt damit vielleicht שעל, die Fußsohle, משעול כרמים ein enger, nur ein fußbreiter Pfad, den man nur schrittweise durchgehen kann, שחל ,שועל die pfadschleichenden Füchse und Schakale (siehe zu Bamidbar 22, 24).

מזי רעב, “wasting famine;” compare Daniel 3,19 for use of the word מזי. We read there למזי לאתונה חד שבעה, “to heat the kiln seven times.” The people’s skin would be full of holes and blisters due to excessive pains caused by hunger.

מזי רעב, “the wasting due to famine;” burned by hunger; compare Daniel 3,19, למזי לאתונא, “to heat up the kiln;”

In the Aramaic language the term for hair is מזיא, as e.g. in the phrase (Megillah 18a) “who was busying himself with his hair (במזיא)".

ולחומי רשף, mixture of hail and fire from the sky. The word occurs in this context in Song of Songs 8,6 רשפי אש. If it has the meaning used in the Talmud it describes breaking out of rashes on the skin as in Job 5,7 בני רשף יגביהו עוף, caused by celestial sources such as sparks (in the spiritual sense) and not something that originates on earth. It refers to fiery arrows when used in Psalms 76,5, and in a similar sense in Psalms 91,5 מחץ יעוף יומם, “from arrows flying by day.” Basically, we are dealing here with destructive phenomena which do not have their origin on earth.

ולחומי רשף, “battling flaming demons.” A reference to a species of birds. We find them mentioned in Job 5,7 The correct interpretation (quoting Ibn Ezra) is that the Israelites will be subjected to four different kinds of judgments, penalties, In this verse famine and its impact is described by Moses. The others will follow.רשף, קטף מרירי, חיה רעה and חרב. רשף appears to be sickness caused by microbes in the air.קטב מרירי is a kind of pestilence brought on by polluted air.

וקטב מרירי, “and bitter destruction (death);” according to Ibn Ezra this refers to some kind of poisoned air which kills people. This appears to occur mostly at midday. Examples are: Job 3,5: “may it be struck by the pall of the day.” This is also the meaning of Psalms 91,6 ומקטב ישוד צהרים, “and from the scourge that rages at noon.” A description of the plague, pestilence. Moses speaks of four different judgments, afflictions. which can be summarised as רעב, דבר, חיה, חרב, famine, pestilence, wild beasts, and death by the sword.

There was an incident, etc. Rashi means to explain that the verse should have said, “the teeth of wild animals,” since it is wild animals that are expected to bite, not domesticated ones.

ולחומי רשף, compare Song of Songs 8,6, רשפיה רשפי אש, “its flashes are flashes of fire;” epidemics caused by excessive heat-waves.

ולחמי רשף, “their flesh consumed by the vultures;” compare Proverbs 9,5: לכו לחמו בלחמי, “come and eat my bread;” (compare the commentaries on that phrase there.) Compare also Job 5,7: ובני רשף יגביהו עוף, “as the sparks fly upwards.”

ולחמי רשף This means, the demons fight with them (לחם means “to battle”), — as it states, (Job. 5:7) “As the בני רשף fly upwards”, and they are the demons (Berachot 5a).

וקטב מרירי, stabbed and cut up (mutilated) by robbers who make a point of killing people cruelly. The construction of the word מרירי is similar to the construction of the word פלילי, criminal, from ונתן בפלילים, (Exodus 2,22) describing judges who deal with criminal matters. The judges incriminate the guilty, (transitively), similarly, מרירי is transitive, describes not what the victim suffers, endures, but the force which make the life of the victim intolerable. The word ישוד, from שוד, in Psalms 91,6 מקטב ישוד צהרים, also refers transitively to the forces perpetrating the robbery. “the scourge which is ravaging around noon.” Both Jeremiah 15,8 and Tzefaniah 2,4 use this word in a similar sense.

וקטב מרירי, “and bitter destruction.” The word קטב is found in Hoseah 13,14: אהי קטבך שאול, “your pestilence where? Sheol” (Metaphor for the fires of hell.)

וקטב מרירי means and the destruction caused by a demon whose name is מרירי. The word קטב denotes “cutting off”, “destruction”, as in (Hosea 13:14) “I will be thy destruction (קטבך) O grave”.

The word מרירי meaning: “bitter,” is familiar to all of us, although our author provides examples for where it is used. However, in the Talmud tractate Pessachim folio 111, the word is understood to mean sheydim, “demons,” the Talmud coming to the conclusion that there are two different kinds of ketev m’riri, demons, one is active before it is noon, and one after the sun has reached its highest point on the horizon.

ושן בהמת [I WILL SEND FORTH] THE TEETH OF CATTLE [UPON THEM] (i.e., even the teeth of cattle, not only of wild beasts) — It indeed happened once that lambs bit people and caused their death (Sifrei Devarim 321:8; cf. Rashi on Leviticus 26:22).

חמת זחלי עפר THE FURY OF THOSE CRAWLING IN THE DUST — i.e. the poison of serpents that crawl on their bellies upon the ground as the water trickles (זחל) upon the ground. The root זחל properly denotes the passage of water upon the dust, and it is similarly used as here of the passage of anything that proceeds in a shuffling manner upon the ground.

מחוץ תשכל חרב WITHOUT, THE SWORD SHALL BEREAVE — This means, outside the city will the sword of the hostile troops bereave them,

ומחדרים אימה, גם בחור גם בתולה, young men and women hiding in their houses will be made orphans.

The chambers of his heart pound with terror, etc. If the verse is explained according to its plain meaning i.e., as referring to the chambers of his house, it should have said, “From his chambers there is פחד (fear).” The word פחד applies to something which is nearby, whereas אימה (terror) applies to something that is distant; As Rashi writes in parshas Beshalach (Shemos 15:16) on the verse, “Horror [and dread] fall upon them” (Maharan)

ומחדרים אימה AND WITHIN, DREAD — when one flees and escapes, the recesses (חדרים) of his heart will vehemently beat out of dread, and he will gradually die through this (Sifrei Devarim 321:11). — Another explanation of ומחדרים אימה: In the house there will be the fear of pestilence, as it says, (Jeremiah 9:20) “For the death is come up into our windows" (cf. Bava Kamma 60b). So, too, did Onkelos translate it. — Another explanation of this verse: מחוץ תשכל חרב — the sword shall destroy them on account of what they have done in the streets (חוצה; the prefix מ denotes the cause: on account of the streets), as it is said, (Jeremiah 11:13) “According to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have you set up altars to the shameful thing” (Sifrei Devarim 321:12); ומחדרים אימה — on account of what they have done in the innermost chambers of their houses, as it is said, (Ezekiel 8:12) “[Have you seen] what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his marbled chambers?” (Sifrei Devarim 321:12)

Another interpretation of “From within the chambers, terror.” Indoors will be, etc. According to the first explanation it is difficult for where do we ever find in Scripture the chambers of the heart being referred to as simply “chambers”? Therefore Rashi gives: “Another interpretation, etc.” and the word חדרים is [interpreted] according to its plain meaning. According to this alternative explanation it is difficult, why it says “chambers of terror”? In the city there was also plague. So it should have said “indoors there is terror” as opposed to outdoors.” Therefore Rashi gives a third explanation; that it refers to the sins committed outside, i.e. in public, and to those sins that were committed in the innermost chambers, so that no person sees him. According to this third explanation it is difficult because if so, the verse is missing the verb, it does not mention the word any action. And if so, the letter mem from the word “מחדרים (from his chambers)” should have been [vocalized] with a chirik [michadarim] which means “from the sins committed inside.” Therefore Rashi needed the alternative explanations. And according to these two [latter] explanations it is difficult, why does the verse use the word “terror,” when it should have said “from the chambers a plague.” Therefore Rashi also gave the first explanation.

אמרתי אפאיהם means, I said in my heart, “I will אפאה them”. One may explain אפאיהם to mean: I would make them as פאה, i.e. “as grain left in the corner of the field”, to cast them away from Me as something free to all. We find a similar idea to this in Ezra (Nehemiah 9:22), “And thou gavest them kingdoms and nations and didst set them aside as a corner (פאה)” — i.e., as free to all. Thus (under this meaning) did Menachem ben Seruk classify it. Others expound it as the Targum does: My wrath (אף) will fall upon them. This is, however, not correct, for if it were so (i.e., if אפאיהם were connected with אף) it ought to have written אֲאַפְאֵיהֶם with two Alephs, the one as a servile letter (a prefix) and the other as a root letter, just as in (Isaiah 45:5) אאזרך, “I girded thee”, and (Job 16:5) “I would strengthen you (אאמצכם) with my mouth” (in both these cases the first letter of the root is א as it is in אף), and the middle א (that after the פ) would not be proper to be in it at all. Onkelos, however (in connecting the word with אף, anger), rendered it according to the explanation of a Baraitha taught in Sifrei Devarim 322:1 which divides this word into three words, אמרתי אף אי הם, which means, I said in My anger (אף) I will make them as though they were not existent, i.e., that those who are looking for them would ask about them, “Where are they (אי הם)?".

[‘AMARTI’ (I SAID)] ‘APHEIHEM.’ Grammarians⁸⁸R’dak in “Sefer Hasharashim,” root peiah. See also Ibn Ezra. explained it as meaning: “I will disperse them into every ‘corner.’” And if so, the word amarti means that it was the Will before Him by the attribute of justice that they be so scattered forever in every corner, and that their memory cease forever from among men⁸⁹In Verse 26 before us. — were it not that I was in dread of the wrath from the enemy.⁹⁰Verse 27. And in my opinion the word apheihem is a composite word, as is mentioned in the Sifre,⁹¹Sifre, Ha’azinu 322. that it consists of these three words: aph ei heim [“I said in My ‘anger’ that I will banish them so that it will be said of them ‘where are they?’ “]. The meaning thereof is that I will put them in such a place and in such a manner that it will also be said of them “Where are they?” signifying that there will be no name or remnant left of them among the nations, and their place will not be known where they are.⁹²Nahum 3:17. He thus alludes to the exile of the ten tribes that were banished to the river Gozan,⁹³II Kings 17:6. The reference is to the exile by Assyria of the ten tribes that formed the kingdom of Israel. this being the river which the Sages call “Sabbatyon.”⁹⁴Sanhedrin 65. The meaning of the name will be explained further on in the text. The name “Gozan” is of the expressions: ‘vayagaz’ (and it brought over) quails from the sea;⁹⁵Numbers 11:31. Thou art ‘gozi’ (He that took me out) of my mother’s womb,⁹⁶Psalms 71:6. because those who remain behind [that river] are “divested” of any contacts with other people. It is called “Sabbatyon” because of its rest on the Sabbath-day, for the Sabbath-day in that language, as in Arabic, is called Sabbat, and they add adjectivial suffixes of ‘yon’ to certain nouns, such as: eizoviyon (Greek hyssop),⁹⁷Shabbath 109b. churyon (another),⁹⁸See Aruch Hashaleim, under the term choron. mulyon (a mule),⁹⁹Yerushalmi Berachoth VIII, 6. and many others.

אמרתי אפאיהם, I had said that I would leave a small “corner” (from פאה, the 1/60th of the farmer’s field to be left for the poor to help themselves to) of them survive whereas I would destroy the balance. This is what I will do at the end of history before the final redemption, seeing that I had been unable to achieve My purpose either through giving them the Torah, or through giving them the Land of Israel, or even through sending them into exile to give them a taste of what they had lost due to their obstinacy. (compare Yoel,3,5 warning the Jewish people of precisely this )

אמרתי אפאיהם, "I had said 'I will scatter them, etc.'" The meaning of the word אפאיהם is: "I will continue My anger with them until their memory will cease from human memory."

אמרתי אפאיהם, I had originally said that I would remove them from the world had it not been for My fear of becoming annoyed when the gentile nations would credit their own power with annihilating the Jewish people. [I am paraphrasing some of this. Ed.]

אמרתי אפאיהם, “I had said: ‘I will disperse them;’” Nachmaides first quotes the grammarians who derive the word אפאיהם as a derivative of פאה , i.e. I will disperse them to the four corners of the globe.” He adds, that he personally, thinks that the word is a combination of two words, as suggested in the Sifri, i.e. אף אי הם, “I said in My anger that I would treat them as if they did not exist.” (אי הם?) “Where are they?” They would become so assimilated in such small groups that they would cease to exist as an identifiable remnant of the once great Jewish nation. This is an allusion to the exile of the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom during the conquest of most of the land of Israel by the Assyrians [722 B.C.E.] when these tribes were relocated among other nations far to the north, most of them remaining lost to us except for remnants who joined Zerubavel when he returned under the protectorate of the Persian King Cyrus. In the legends transmitted by the sages these tribes were exiled to a mysterious region beyond the river Sambatyon, an unbridgeable and inaccessible region about which many tales have been spun. The essence of the verse is that G’d speaks (through Moses’ vision) of having wanted to destroy the exiles utterly so that history would forget their existence. [second half of our verse. Ed.] He would have done so if not:

אמרתי אפאיהם, “I had said: ‘I will consign them to the most remote corner.’” “I will scatter them to the ends of the globe.”
According to Nachmanides, the words mean that G’d says: “I had originally wanted that they remain scattered to the corners of the globe forever so that their memory will be blotted out among mankind.”This is an allusion to the exile of the Ten Tribes who were exiled to the region of the river Gozan, (Kings II 17,6) the river referred to by our sages as Sabatyon. (according to Sanhedrin 65 Sambatyon) The word גוזן is related to ויגז שלוים, Numbers 11,31 “it (the wind) swept quail.” We also encounter the a similar word in Psalms 71,6 כי אתה גוזי, “for You were my support.” The people standing on the far side of that river are effectively removed from human society (no one can cross the river). The river is called Sabatyon because it stops flowing on the Sabbath. In the language of the people in that region the word סבט is equivalent to our word שבת. In Arabic too, the Sabbath is called סבט. It is a custom among those people to append the ending יון to many words, hence the name סבטיון. Nachmanides furnishes examples of other words with that ending.
Even though, at this stage, the Torah speaks here in riddles, allusions, and in a very abbreviated form, we can find illuminating comments by our sages on the subject scattered throughout the Talmud and Midrashim. For instance, in Bereshit Rabbah 73,6 Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Seymon says that the tribes of Yehudah and Binyamin were not exiled to the same areas as were the Ten Tribes who had been exiled long before beyond the river Sabatyon, whereas the tribes of Yehudah and Binyamin were scattered all over the globe.
In Midrash Shir Hashirim Zutta 1,16 the words אף ערשנו רעננה are understood by the Midrash as an allusion to these Ten Tribes who were exiled beyond the river Sabatyon.
The Jerusalem Talmud Sanhedrin 10,8 writes that there were three exiles of the Israelites (the northern kingdom, I presume, Ed.); 1) beyond the river Sabatyon, 2) the exile somewhere close to Antiochya; 3) an exile which was preceded by a cloud descending and hiding the people being exiled. Just as the Ten Tribes (actually 7) were exiled in three stages and to three locations, the two and a half Tribes on the East Bank of the Jordan who were the first to be exiled also were exiled in three stages. The source from which we derive all this is Ezekiel 23,31: בדרך אחותך הלכת ונתתי כוסה בידך, “seeing you walked the same path as your sister, therefore I placed her cup in your hand.” Just as the exile was divided into three episodes and locations, so the eventual return to the Holy land will follow a similar pattern The sages base this on Isaiah 49,9: “tell the prisoners ‘get going;’” this (part of) the verse applies to the exiles from beyond the river Sabatyon. The second half of the verse in Isaiah which reads: “to the ones who were exiled in darkness,” applies to the people exiled beyond the Sabatyon. The next section of the verse i.e. the words: “show yourselves!” refers to the exiles who had been mysteriously swallowed by the cloud; The final words of that verse, i.e. “they shall pasture along the roads,” apply to the group of exiles who had been taken to somewhere near Antiochya.
In the Tosephta of Sanhedrin (chapter 13) we have been taught in the name of Rabbi that the Ten Tribes will enjoy a share in the world to come. He bases himself on Isaiah 27,13: “it will be on that day (the day described in verse 12) that a great shofar will be sounded and the strayed who are in the land of Assyria and the expelled in the land of Egypt shall come and worship the Lord on the holy mount, in Jerusalem.” The peoples mentioned are the ones we know as the “Ten Tribes.” According to Sifra Bechukotai 8 the reference is to the people described in Leviticus 26,38. Rabbi Akiva says that the reference is to the Ten Tribes who have been exiled to the land of the Medes.

Some interpret this according to the Targum’s [Onkelos] translation, etc. Meaning that some explain it according to its apparent meaning, that אפאיהם is derived from the word “אף (anger),” and the first aleph represents the first person, as if it said, “I will place My anger upon them” or “against them.” But this is untenable, etc.

VV. 26 u. 27. פאה ,אמרתי אפאיהם das äußerste Ende einer Fläche: Seite oder Winkel, verwandt mit פהה der Wurzel von פה Mund, das in ולה שני פיות ,פי חרב (Richter 3, 16) auch die äußerste Seite, die Schärfe des Schwertes bedeutet.

אמרתי אפאיהם, “I had said I would make an end of them” so that no trace of them would remain.
אשביתה מאנוש זכרם “I would make even their memory extinct;”

אמרתי אפאיהם, “I said I would make an end of them;” the word is related to פיאה, “corner, remnant,” I would not even leave a remnant of them. (B’chor shor)

Also, the middle aleph is totally inappropriate. In other words, this is another contradiction.

I WOULD MAKE THEIR MEMORY CEASE FROM AMONG MEN. This is a reference to our exiles among the nations — we, Judah and Benjamin, who have no significance among the nations and we are not considered a people or nation at all. Thus Scripture states that according to the attribute of justice we should remain in this condition of exile forever were it not that I was in dread of the wrath from the enemy.⁹⁰Verse 27. This teaches that, in our present exile, [the protecting influence of] the merits of the patriarchs have ceased¹⁰⁰Shabbath 55a. Tosafoth there mentions the opinion of Rabbeinu Tam that while the protecting influence of “the merits” of the patriarchs may have ceased, “the covenant of the patriarchs,” remains in force — and it is to the covenant that we refer in our prayers. And according to the opinion of Rabbeinu Yitzchak [“the R’ie” — one of the great masters in the school of the Tosafoth] even “the merits of the patriarchs” have not ceased for the righteous in Israel. and we have no deliverance from the hands of the nations except for the sake of His Great Name, similar to what He stated in the Book of Ezekiel, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.¹⁰¹Ezekiel 20:41. And ye shall know that I am the Eternal, when I have wrought with you for My Name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel.¹⁰²Ibid., Verse 44. And so also it is further stated, But I wrought for My Name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations etc.¹⁰³Ibid., Verse 9. Therefore Moses mentioned in his prayer, then the nations which have heard the fame of Thee will speak, saying etc.¹⁰⁴Numbers 14:15. and G-d, blessed be He, acknowledged him in this, And the Eternal said: ‘I have pardoned according to thy word.’¹⁰⁵Ibid., Verse 20.
This plea is not meant to demonstrate His power among His enemies, for All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are accounted by Him as things of nought, and vanity.¹⁰⁶Isaiah 40:17. Rather, [the explanation thereof is as follows:] G-d created man among the lower creatures in order that he acknowledge his Creator and be thankful to His Name,¹⁰⁷See Vol. II, pp. 174-175. and He placed in his hand the choice to do evil or good. But when people sinned willingly and they all denied Him, only this people [Israel] remained devoted to His Name, and so He made known through them by means of signs and wonders that He is G-d of gods, and Lord of lords,¹⁰⁸Above, 10:17. and this became known to all nations. Now, if He were to reconsider and their memory [i.e., of Israel] be lost, the nations will forget His wonders and His deeds and they will no longer recount them. And if a person should mention them, they will think that it was [done by] one of the powers of the constellations which is overflowing as he passeth through,¹⁰⁹Isaiah 8:8. and thus the purpose of the creation of man will be annulled completely, for no one will be left among them who knows his Creator — only those who provoke Him. Therefore, it is appropriate as a consequence of the [Divine] Will which existed at the creation of the world to establish for Himself a people for all time, who are nearer to Him and who know Him more than all the [other] peoples. And the meaning of the verse For the Eternal will judge His people, and for His servants He will reconsider¹¹⁰Further, Verse 36. is, that G-d will remember in mercy that they are His people of old, and He will remember that they are His servants, for they stood by Him in their exile like servants to suffer the troubles and the bondage, similar to what is stated, For He said: ‘Surely, they are My people, children that will not deal falsely.’¹¹¹Isaiah 63:8. I have already suggested¹¹²Exodus 30:46 (Vol. II, pp. 506-507). that in the creation of man there is a sublime and recondite secret which requires that we be His people and He be our G-d, similar to what is stated, Every one that is called by My Name, and whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.¹¹³Isaiah 43:7.

אפאיהם ist Hifil von פאה mit auseinander gezogenem Suffixum, so viel als אפאם: ich verweise sie in einen Winkel. אגור von גור der Wurzel von מגורה, Scheuer, also: das geschnittene Getreide einsammeln, so auch: יגרהו בחרמו (Habakuk 1, 15 — das aber mehr auf eine Wurzel גרר hinwiese —); oder es ist von גור: Angst haben, das jedoch sonst nur mit (Kap. 18, 22). — (Über den Zusammenhang der לא תגור ממנו, konstruiert wird מ — verschiedenen Bedeutungen von גור Bereschit 12, 14-19.)

Onkelos’ translation follows the text of the Beraysa, etc. Onkelos’ intention when he explained “I shall visit upon them... follows the text of the Beraysa, etc.” The intent is “I shall visit My fury upon them,” that will render them non-entities, etc.” His explanation is not according to the plain meaning, as the [opinion cited above as] “Now some interpret this” understands it.

Nachdem all dieses Leid über sie ergangen, hätte ich, um sie ferneren Völkermisshandlungen zu entziehen, sie — wie etwa die zehn Stämme — in einen entlegenen Erdwinkel verwiesen, wo sie, auf sich selbst allein beschränkt, der ernsten Besinnung und Rückkehr entgegen reifen mögen, wenn mir nicht vor dem noch größeren Verdruss vom Feinde graute, oder wenn ich damit nicht den Verdruss vom Feinde einernten würde, — בעם אויב wie כעם בניו ובנתיו (V. 19) — פן ינכרו צרימו, ihre Feinde könnten es verkennen, es der Wahrheit entfremden, es als etwas anderes auffassen, als es wirklich ist. So: ואותתם לא תנכרו, wollet ihre Wahrzeichen nicht verkennen, nicht missdeuten (Job. 21. 29), וינכרו את המקום הזה (Jirm. 19. 4.) sie entfremdeten diesen Ort, verkannten seine Bedeutung, oder entzogen ihn seiner Bestimmung. Israel musste in der Mitte einer ihm und seinem Gotte feindlichen, in noch höherem Maße als es irregegangenen und entarteten Menschheit, und damit freilich ihren Misshandlungen ausgesetzt bleiben, wenn nicht das Gegenteil von dem erreicht werden sollte, das mit Israels ganzer geschichtlicher Sendung bezweckt war. Statt ein weltgeschichtlicher Fingerzeig für Gott, den Einen-Einzigen, seinen Willen und sein Walten zu sein, würde Israels Verschwinden aus dem Gedächtnis der Menschen von den Völkern nur als ein Triumph des heidnischen Wahns über die jüdische Wahrheit aufgefasst worden sein, sie hätten in dem über Israel ergangenen Gottesgericht nicht Gottes Gericht, sondern nur den Triumph der eigenen Menschenmacht erblickt. So muss Israel zur Belehrung der Völker dulden und leiden und — bleiben.

לולי כעס אויב אגור WERE IT NOT THAT THE WRATH OF THE ENEMY WAS אגור — i.e. were it not that the wrath of the enemy were heaped up (אגור) against them to destroy them, and if he does overpower them and destroy them, he will attribute the greatness to himself and to his god, and he will not attribute it to Me. That is the meaning of what is stated immediately afterwords: פן ינכרו צרימו — i.e. lest they treat the matter as arising from a stranger (ינכרו) by attributing their power to a stranger (נכרי) to whom the greatness, however, does not actually belong, פן יאמרו ידינו רמה וגו׳ LEST THEY SHOULD SAY, OUR HAND IS EXALTED etc.

לולי כעס אויב אגור, that on account of the violent anti-semitism which the gentile nations would unleash against the small remnant of Jewish people so that in order to save themselves from further persecution they would פן ינכרו צרימו, attempt to divest themselves of their Judaism altogether, something the gentiles would hold out to them as a lifesaving gesture,

לולא כעס אויב אגור, "If it were not for the fact that I am afraid of the anger of the enemy, etc." The author understands the word אגור in this verse as identical with the same word in Proverbs 6,8, i.e. the ant which gathers in the supplies needed in winter during the preceding summer. G'd also refers to the numerous occasions when the Gentile nations have caused Him to be angry. G'd is saying that He is concerned that by wiping out Israel all the Gentile nations will conclude (gather further evidence) that the Jewish religion had never been the truth as demonstrated by the disappearance of the Jewish people. This is the meaning of ינכרו צרימו, "their tormentor will misinterpret (the course of history)." Furthermore, פן יאמרו ידינו רמה, "lest they would say 'our hand has prevailed.' Not only will they deny the authenticity of the Jewish religion but they will continue to sin by claiming that their religion had been the true religion all along. They will not attribute their wellbeing to G'd's patience with them but to the power of the deities they worship and believe in.

לולי כעס אויב אגור, “If I had not had to fear that this would be misinterpreted by the Antisemites as their victory over My people, instead of My punishment of My people, etc.” Nachmanides writes that from this verse there is proof that in our present exile the merit of our illustrious forefathers has ceased to be a factor ameliorating our political/social position in the host countries. In this verse Moses describes a scenario in which our continued survival is not credited to G’d remembering the merits of our patriarchs, but is credited only to His concern about His own reputation among the nations of the world. It is not that G’d has a desire to display His power among the nations. There is no point to this, seeing that all these nations combined are completely impotent when compared to Him, so that there would be no contest in which one party would emerge as a victor. G’d’s concern is that seeing that He has created man to inhabit the “lower” regions of the universe, i.e. the earth, it is of importance to Him that these creatures called “man” recognise His existence, and the fact that they are His creatures and that His domain extends to the region of the earth and that man has to be obedient to Him, and that He deals with man on the basis of reward for good behaviour and retribution for rebellious behaviour. Seeing that all the other nations had denied His existence, or His right to interfere with their lifestyle and to make rules by which they have to abide, only the Jewish nation remained and had been wiling to accept His sovereignty on earth. In response G’d had demonstrated by supernatural miracles that He is the supreme authority in this universe, that His power far outranks that attributed to astrological constellations. If G’d were to allow the Jewish nation, the only one that had recognised Him, to perish, He would nullify all that He had meant to accomplish by putting a living human being on earth in the first place.

לולא כעס אויב אגור, “If I were not concerned with provoking the anger of the enemy, etc.” The Hebrew words are to be understood as: לולא שאני מפחד מכעס אויב as explained by Ibn Ezra, as G’d saying that He is conscious of His need to battle the enemies of the Jews who draw the wrong conclusions of history, [such as that the G’d of the Jews has lost His power. Ed]. The word אגור is the same as Deut. 1,17 where Moses told the judges לא תגורו מפני איש: ”do not be afraid of any man.” The meaning of the words פעל כל זאת refers to the שפטים, the judgments, i.e. that the enemy of the Jewish people would not credit G’d with having orchestrated these judgments on His people as a punishment for them.

Were it not that the enemy’s rage, etc. He explains that the word לולי is a combination of lo [with a vav] meaning “if” and lo [with an aleph] meaning “not.” Even though the word is written with a yud, it is vocalized with a tzeirei, and the tzeirei implies an aleph. Rashi adds the two words “against them for destruction,” because without the term “against them” we would not know on whom He is angry, and [also we would not know] the reason for the anger.

לולי כעס אויב אגור, “were it not that I dreaded the enemy’s provocation;” (if I, G–d, had not thought that the gentiles would not attribute their disappearance as an act of punishment by Me.) the word גור occurs in the sense of “fearing” in Deuteronomy 1,17: לא תגורו מפני איש, “do not be afraid of anybody.”

ולא ה' פעל כל זאת, “and that not the Lord had brought all this about.” [Moses is quoting the enemies of the Jewish people. Ed.] They deny that our misfortune was G-d’s way of chastising His people.

פן יאמרו, and lest the gentiles would approach these remnants of the Jewish people saying to them

And if He were to overcome them and destroy them, etc. Rashi adds all this because without this it is not reasonable to say that “our armed might has prevailed, etc.” For if He did not destroy them [what is the meaning] that their armed might has prevailed?

ולא ה׳ פעל כל זאת, "and it was not the Lord who accomplished all this." This is a reference to all the glory the Jewish people had achieved prior to its decline. The nations will claim as proof for their theory that a) the Israelites had not been doing something that they had not been doing for a long time; 2) the Gentile nations gained control over them and destroyed them.

פן ינכרו צרימו, “lest its adversaries would boast over their accomplishment” (in having wiped out the Jewish people)

ידינו רמה, “we have prevailed, we have proven right with our religion, our faith,” and

Alternatively, the Gentiles will conclude that what had befallen Israel could only be explained in terms of a combination of both alien gods and the Lord cooperating to bring about the demise of the Jewish people.

ולא ה' פעל זאת, “this was not what G’d did to you for not obeying Him,” so that you would still have hope to escape your fate by doing teshuvah. G’d scattered you to so many different places on earth that the total oblivion of the people through assimilation by inducements of the gentiles would not be likely. This was what Devorah meant when she said in her song in Judges 5,11 צדקות פרזונו בישראל, G‘d performed righteous deeds when He scattered Israel (instead of sending them to a single country into exile)

כי FOR that nation גוי אבד עצות המה ואין בהם תבונה IS A NATION OF ERRING COUNSEL, NEITHER IS THERE ANY UNDERSTANDING IN THEM — for if they were wise (לו חכמו),‎ ישכילו זאת THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND THIS viz., איכה ירדף וגו׳ HOW COULD ONE PURSUE [A THOUSAND] etc.

FOR THEY ARE A NATION VOID OF COUNSEL. [This verse and] the entire section [further on] refers to the aforementioned enemy, according to the words of Rabbi Nechemyah.¹¹⁴Sifre, Ha’azinu 322. And, so too, the verse, For their Rock is not as our rock¹¹⁵Further, Verse 31. is to be understood as the words of the enemy. Scripture thus states, the enemy should have considered and understood that what was done with Israel had been brought about by G-d because of their sin, and from it they should have realized their own ultimate punishment, for He would do the same to all the nations since they rebel against G-d more than does Israel. They should have been wise and said: “How should one pursue a thousand from Israel except their Rock had given them over.¹¹⁶Verse 30. For their Rock is powerful and possesses the capability to help and save more than does our rock, and our enemies [i.e., the Israelites] were ‘pelilim’ (judges)¹¹⁵Further, Verse 31. over us originally to execute judgments upon us as they wished. And now, why do a thousand [of the Israelites] flee from before us at the shout of one man, except that their mighty Rock gave them over and sent a faintness into their heart¹¹⁷Leviticus 26:36. and they fell when there was no pursuer.”¹¹⁸See ibid., Verse 37. The term ‘pelilim’ (judges)¹¹⁵Further, Verse 31. is associated with the expressions: that ‘pilalt’ (thou hast given judgment) for thy sisters;¹¹⁹Ezekiel 16:52. Then stood up Phinehas ‘vayephaleil’ (and wrought judgment).¹²⁰Psalms 106:30.

כי גוי אובד עצות המה, Moses is quoting the gentiles’ assessment of the Jewish people at that point.

כי גוי אבד עצות המה, "for they are a people bereft of counsel;" As distinct from the Gentile neighbours, the Jews do not respond to being disciplined by their G'd and turn penitent. They are inherently unable to learn the lessons of history. ואין בהם תבונה, "and they do not possess discernment." They are unable to draw conclusions through unprejudiced observations. As Moses continues: "if they possessed wisdom they would use it intelligently." They would have understood that the outpouring of G'd's wrath upon them was not a natural disaster, a coincidence, but a warning to repent and to mend their ways. Moses elaborates on a few examples which should have demonstrated to the Israelites that G'd had been their support all along in the past.

כי גוי אובד עצות, the word גוי refers to the gentile nations here saying of the Jews that they are totally devoid of direction;

כי גוי אובד, “for a nation bereft, etc.” a reference to the Gentile nations [as a group, Ed.].

For if they were wise, etc. Rashi adds the letter shin [meaning “because”] to the word “לו (if)” because the phrase “לו, etc.” is not the beginning of the phrase, but is proof for the [preceding] statement “for they are a nation who squanders counsel” because if they were wise, etc.

V. 28. כי גוי אבד עצות המה, denn die Israel entgegenstehenden Völker gehen zusammen an selbstgeschaffenen Plänen, an dem Dünkel auf ihre politische Staatenweisheit zu Grunde und haben nicht die Einsicht, aus den Tatsachen und Ereignissen die rechten Schlüsse zu ziehen.

כי גוי אובד עצות המה, “for they are a nation void of sense;” this is a reference to the nation into whose hands I will deliver them. They are devoid of sense, so how could they have succeeded in wiping out My people?.

כי גוי אובד עצות המה , “for they are a people void of counsel;” There are two opposing interpretations in the Sifri concerning who are the subject in this phrase; according to Rabbi Yehudah, the subject are the Jewish people; according to Rabbi Nechemyah, the subject are the gentile nations, who have no concept of how G-d’s ways of educational punishment works. According to RabbiNechemyah the words refer to what the gentile nations were quoted as saying in verse 27. According to Rabbi Yehudah, the Jewish people had rejected all the sound advice G-d had given them about how to live their lives by following the rules of the Torah.

the construction ovad is similar to mispad in מספד תמרורים in Jeremiah 6,26, where instead of misped we find mispad, just as here we find ovad instead of oved. Genesis 30,37 makal instead of makel, is another example of such a construction. The reason for the patach instead of the tzeyreh is that in each instance listed the noun is in a construct mode. A fourth example of such a construction is found in Leviticus 27,32 ma-assar bakar vatzon, instead of ma-asser bakar vatzon.

יבינו לאחריתם THEY WOULD CONSIDER THEIR LATTER END — i.e. they would set their heart to comprehend the ultimate reason for the misfortune of the Israelites,

לו חכמו ישכילו זאת, how the Israelites could have fallen into their hands, something that is completely unnatural, could only have been due as punishment for their sins.

לו חכמו, if these gentile nations had possessed any real intelligence they would have said: איכה ירדוף אחד, how was it ever possible that a single one of us could successfully pursue אלף, a thousand Jews, something they used to be able to do to us. This could only be accounted for by the fact that their G’d, צורם, had sold them out. This was the result of their offending Him by their sins. The word צור as simile for G’d has already occurred in verse 4 of this chapter.

לו חכמו, “Had they only displayed some elementary wisdom, etc.” If the nation who hosted the Israelites and who did believe that the misfortunes of the Jewish people had been due to G’d, [either to His weakness or to His anger Ed.] had only possessed a minimum of common sense, they would have realized that what happened to G’d’s people had nothing to do with their power, but was due solely to the retribution G’d exacted from this people for their disloyalty to Him. They would have realized that at the time when one of them was able to put to flight a thousand times their number, this too had been possible only by the strength given to His people by their Creator and Protector. Now that they had abandoned His Torah, their G’d had reacted by abandoning them.

לו חכמו, “if only they had displayed wisdom (the Jewish people).
ישכילו זאת, “they would have appreciated with their intelligence that G’d had orchestrated all these afflictions as retaliation for their iniquities.” Furthermore, if they would have used their intelligence they would have realized that at the time when one of the enemy put a thousand of the Israelites to flight this too had only been possible through G’d’s doing. Unless their “Rock” had sold them out and had delivered them into the hands of the pagans this could never have happened.

V. 29. לו חכמו. Wären sie für Weisheit empfänglich, sie würden ihren begreifenden Verstand auf das unter ihren Augen und durch ihre Vermittlung vollzogene Gottesgericht über Israel richten und daraus den Schluss auf das ziehen, was ihnen selber bevorstehen werde.

לו חכמו ישכילו זאת, “if they were wise they would understand this, i.e. they would understand that if such a disaster could have befallen a great nation like the Jewish people, one of which at one time could pursue a thousand of its enemies, how much worse would befall a relatively small nation like that which had hosted them while they were in exile.

לו חכמו, “if they (the Israelites) had been wise;” ישכילו זאת, “they would understand this;” Moses will elaborate on what the “this” is.

יבינו לאחריהם, if they would only examine history they would soon realise what is in store for them for their sins if this is what has befallen Israel for its sins.

At the ending punishment of Yisroel. Meaning, not their own ending [but Yisroel’s]. The phrase “How can one pursue, etc.” is Rashi’s proof [to explain] that it refers to the ending punishment of Yisroel. “How could one pursue a thousand” is an explanation of the word “this” and the words “their ending” [mentioned in the preceding verse].

יבינו לאחריתם, “they would understand that what has happened to them lately had been the natural result of their disloyalty to the covenant they had entered into with Hashem. What should have made them realise all this?

איכה ירדף אחד HOW ONE MAN of the nations COULD PURSUE אלף A THOUSAND of the Israelites.

איכה ירדוף אחד אלף, they should have realised that if they were able to pursue the Israelites, one against 1000, that this was not something natural.

איכה ירדף אחד אלף, "How could one man pursue a thousand?" This refers to the fact that one Gentile suddenly was able to put to flight one thousand Jews. During all the normal wars between the various nations such a thing was unheard of. Not a single enemy amongst the nations possesses such superiority over his opponents.

One of us [pursue] a thousand of Yisroel. [It does] not [mean] one Jew chasing a thousand of them, because it is listing curses here. Some ask: It is a fact that the attribute of goodness is greater than the attribute of punishment! And with regard to the attribute of goodness it is written, “Five of you will pursue one hundred” (Vayikra 26:8). [Why then] in the attribute of punishment [it states,] that one of them will pursue a thousand of Yisroel? One can answer that the punishments listed in this song are an exception to the letter of the law of strict justice. And this is what is referred to in Megillas Eicha “she has descended astonishingly” (Eicha 1:9), that their downfall was amazing [i.e.], not according to the general law pertaining to attributes [where the attribute of goodness is far greater than the attribute of punishment].

VV. 30 u. 31. איכה וגו׳. Die völlige Macht- und Widerstandslosigkeit Israels seinen Feinden gegenüber hätte diesen sagen können, nicht ihrer Tapferkeit und der ihnen durch den Genius ihrer nationalen Errungenschaft innewohnenden Überlegenheit verdanken sie den so unendlich leichten Sieg, sondern der Verlassenheit und Preisgebung Israels von Gott, der bis dahin sein Hort und seine Stärke gewesen, und dessen Beistand es verscherzt. כי לא כצורנו צורם. Denn, wenn Israel von seinem Hort nicht verlassen worden wäre, ja, wenn Israels Hort nicht ganz eigentlich dessen Unterjochung durch die Völker gewollt, es ihnen zu diesem Zwecke nicht ganz eigentlich ausgeliefert hätte, wenn es in dem Kampf der Völker gegen Israel in Wahrheit einen Kampf des Völkerhorts mit Israels Hort gegolten hätte, dann wäre Israel nicht unterlegen, dann wäre nicht Israel, dann wären die Völker die Besiegten gewesen; mit Israels Hort kann der Völker Hort sich nicht messen, das haben ja die Völker bereits aus der ganzen Vergangenheit gelernt, darüber kann man ihnen bereits selbst das Urteil zutrauen. פלילים (siehe zu Bereschit 48, 11) פלל und das Subst. פליל findet sich nirgends als Ausübung einer politischen Gewalt. Es ist immer ein auf Überlegung und Folgerung beruhendes Urteilen.

אם לא כי צורם מכרם, “unless their “Rock” (their G–d) had sold them.” The verb מכר appears in the sense in which it is used here, in Judges 4,9, when Deborah tells Barak that the glory of the victory over Siserah will not be his but that of a woman, כי ביד אשה ימכור ה' את סיסרא, “for the Lord will deliver Sisera (the enemy general) into the hands of a woman.”

'איכה ירדוף וגו, “how could one chase a thousand? How could a situation have changed so radically that whereas previously one Israelite could put 1000 gentiles to flight, and two Israelites could put ten thousand adversaries to flight, whereas now one gentile can put one thousand Israelites to flight, whereas by now the situation is reversed? Not only must we marvel at this fact but we must ask ourselves why something like this could have happened? Is it not obvious that this could only have happened because our “Rock” has abandoned us? Our author sites as proof that Moses was not exaggerating (Judges 20,10).

אם לא כי צורם מכרם EXCEPT THAT THEIR ROCK HAD DELIVERED THEM — sold them and delivered them into our hands, 'delivrer' in old French (Eng. = deliver).

אם לא כי צורם מכרם, He fought against them, neutralising their aggressiveness and turning them weak like women.

Another meaning: "How could one special nation amongst all the Gentile nations pursue one thousand Israelites? Please compare what I have written on Leviticus 26,8 on the verse: "five of you will pursue one hundred."

וה' הסגירם, “and the Lord had delivered them up?” The Lord had delivered them into our hands when we performed such deeds of valour.

רבבה, “ten thousand;”

אם לא כי צורם מכרם, "unless their Rock had sold them." The reference is to the attribute of Justice, as I have explained in connection with verse 4. Moses added וה׳ הסגירם, "and even the attribute of Mercy had delivered them." Unless both the attribute of Justice and the attribute of Mercy cooperated it is impossible to explain a decline of such dimensions in the fortunes of the Jewish people.

ושנים יניסו רבבה “and two men can put ten thousand of their adversaries to flight;” in other words, one can even put five thousand of the enemy to flight. When the Israelites were loyal to the Torah, the Torah described Leviticus 26,8, five as putting one hundred of the enemy to flight. When they were disloyal to the Torah the ratio of their enemies putting them to flight is multiplied; in fact when the Israelites pursue their enemies they catch them so fast that no astronomical figures have to be mentioned. The enemies fall before them like flies, do not need to be pursued for any great distance. When the Torah speaks of us fleeing, it does not mention being killed, rather it mentions that we will be so nervous that even when no pursuer is in sight we will flee. (Leviticus 26,17)

כי לא כצורנו צורם FOR THEIR ROCK IS NOT AS OUR ROCK — all this the enemies should have understood, — that it is the Lord who delivered them (the Israelites) into their hands, and the victory is neither theirs nor their god’s, for until now their gods could achieve nothing against our Rock, “for not as our Rock is their Rock”. — The word צור wherever it occurs in Scripture is the equivalent of סלע, rock.

כי לא כצורנו צורם, no doubt what happened was due to the difference between their deities, and our G’d. Every nation enjoys a degree of success in its undertakings as long as its specific deity, i.e. agent appointed for them by G’d, is active, or its constellation is in the ascendancy in the sky. Although their specific deity will never become their adversary, they may fall within the power, the orbit of a competing deity, one that looks out for the interests of a different nation. This occurs in tandem with a master plan worked out by G’d for such historical developments. This is why when they “fall” this does not happen until one becomes so strong that it appears as if a single member of one nation can put a thousand of the competing nation to flight. [The author’s view of the collapse of empires appears based on the fact that when a major power was replaced by another this was not the result of a gigantic power struggle in which one nation proved stronger, but that the former world power had already declined in strength so much that they had become a pushover for the aggressor challenging them. Ed.]

כי לא כצורנו צורם, "For our Rock is not like their Rock, etc." Moses means that the reason that one Gentile was able to put to flight a thousand Jews was not due to G'd's lack of power but to His deliberate decision to "sell out" His people. Israel's troubles are not due to the sudden prowess of the Gentile nations. Israel's source of strength, as we pointed out in connection with the debacle of the spies, is not comparable to the short-lived source of strength of the idolators. This is the mystical dimension of Proverbs 12,19: ועד ארגיעה לשון שקר. "but a lying tongue endures only briefly." We can learn from the idolatry practiced by many nations when they worshiped the god Kemosh, a national god of the Moabites. Although, according to Rabbi Saadyah Gaon, many marvellous deeds were attributed to that deity, it did not take long before people ceased to worship it. Many other deities which enjoyed a great reputation in antiquity suffered a similar fate. Our Rock, by comparison, remains at the height of His power as even the Gentiles admit, compare Maleachi, 1,11: "for My name is great among the nations." If these nations observe the downfall of Israel they too will arrive at the conclusion that their religion is true, after all. ואיבינו פלילים, "yet our enemies judge us." The word is used in the sense it is used in Exodus 21,22 ונתן בפלילים, "he shall pay it, (the damages) by order of the judges." Whereas up until then even the nations had admitted that the power of the G'd of the Jews was in a class by itself, the demise of the Jewish people will convince them that they had been wrong.

כי לא כצורנו צורם, these words are spoken by Moses, are not what Moses attributes to the gentile nations as saying. ואויבנו פלילים, if, nonetheless it appears as if your enemies, i.e. the deities of our enemies, succeed in inflicting criminal judgments upon us, this must have been arranged by G’d on account of our sins.

כי לא כצורנו צורם, “for our “Rock” is not like their “rock.” The “rock” Moses speaks of is that of the “nations bereft of counsel” whom he previously characterized as “our enemies.” They should have realized all this, i.e. that they were not qualified to be our judges. Alternatively, the words ואויבינו פלילים may mean that “when our enemies are criminals, they think that our rock is not like their rock,” i.e. that He is inferior to their rock instead of superior to their rock. This would be a desecration of the Lord’s name.

צור in Scripture always denotes a rock. Rashi wants to explain also where the word סלע (rock) is mentioned in Scripture.

כי לא כצורנו צורם, “for their Rock is not like our Rock;” besides they know that our G–d is not like any of their deities, as when the Jewish people observed the covenant they had entered into with their G–d, they had been unable to harm them in any way. Not only that; during those eras their G–d had dealt harshly with them and their so-called deities. A prime example is found in Samuel I 5,7, after the Philistines had captured the Holy Ark, first their deity Dagon was found lying on its face in front of the Holy Ark. After picking it up in its former place the same thing happened on the second morning. By that time this idol had lost its hands and its legs, only the trunk remaining intact. The citizens of Ashdod became struck with hemorrhoids, and decided to rid themselves at all costs of the Holy Ark. They attributed their problems to the G–d of Israel, and instead of enjoying their victory over the army of the Israelites considered themselves as having become the victims. They should have realised that if the Jewish G–d had punished His own people, He would deal even more harshly with those who victimised His people. From here on in Moses expounds on what will be the fate of our perennial enemies.

כי לא כצורנו צורם, “for not like our Rock, is their “rock;” this is still part of the rhetorical question asked by Moses in verse 30: “how can one man pursue one thousand?” In spite of all this, our enemies still insist on sitting in judgment of us! Our erstwhile success and present failure can only be ascribed to Divine interference both then and now. It is due to their Rock having sold them because of their sins.”

ואיבינו פלילים AND OUR ENEMIES ARE JUDGES — i.e. are now judges over us; it is evident therefore that our Rock must have delivered us over to them.

ואויבינו, even though these nations which are enemies of the true G’d and therefore enemies of His chosen nation, as Moses mentioned already in verse 26 and again in verse 42 when he speaks of מראש פרעות אויב, “from the beginning of our people’s existence it had enemies.”

פלילים. philosophers of the various nations. Ovadiah 8 refers to them as והאבדתי חכמים מאדום, “I will wipe out the wise men from Edom.”

כי מגפן סדם גפנם FOR THEIR VINE IS OF THE VINE OF SODOM — This is to be connected with what is stated above, (v. 26, verses 27—31 being a parenthesis): “I said in My heart, I would scatter them into corners and make the remembrance of them cease…” because (כי) their doings are as the doings of Sodom and Gomorrah.

FOR THEIR VINE IS OF THE VINE OF SODOM. He is stating that the idolaters are void of counsel¹²¹Verse 28. and they have not understood, neither apprehended, nor thought of anything but evil continually,¹²²Genesis 6:5. for they were of evil root and they grow only evil and bitter fruit; he that eateth of them dieth.¹²³Isaiah 59:5. And the explanation thereof is that Israel admits, confesses, and repents in time of trouble, saying, and why has all this befallen us?¹²⁴Judges 6:13. But the idolater is void of counsel, he hath no counsel and no understanding,¹²⁵Job 12:13. but only walks after his idol and forever denies the Glorious Name,¹²⁶Above, 28:58. for this is what he inherited from his fathers. Thus he is of a root that beareth gall and wormwood,¹²⁷Ibid., 29:17. and no usefulness will ever be found in them. But Israel whose root is good if it be cut down, then it will sprout again¹²⁸Job 14:7. and grow good fruit.

כי מגפן סדום גפנם, the reason that in this matter they do not display their customary insights is that they boast about their secure and unthreatened existence, concerning themselves exclusively with physical gratifications just as had the people of Sodom. In order to attain their maximum gratification they completely eschewed all manner of caring for the less fortunate, as testified to by Ezekiel 16,49 when the prophet said הנה זה היה עוון סדום אחותך, גאון שבעת לחם ושלות השקט היה לה ולבנותיה ויד עני ואביון לא החזיקה. “only this was the sin of your sister Sodom; arrogance! She and her daughters had plenty of bread and untroubled tranquility. Yet she did not support the poor and the needy. “

כי מגפן סדם גפנם, "for their vine is from the vine of Sodom, etc." The Torah here provides the reason why the Jewish people have been "sold" by G'd. The reason Moses says מגפן, from the vineyard instead of simply גפן, is to remind us that everything that exists in the domain of sanctity has its counterpart in the domain of the סטרא אחרא, the spiritually negative domain. This is what we have been taught by Solomon in Kohelet 7,14: "G'd has made the one as well as the other." Israel has been compared to a vine already in Psalms 80,9: "You plucked up a vine from Egypt." The counterpart is the vine originating in Sodom. This is why Moses speaks of Israel in disgrace as representing a vine from Sodom. ענבמו ענבי רוש, "its grapes are grapes of gall." Seeing that not all Israel's branches are vines from Sodom, Moses describes them as containing such parts, i.e. מגפן instead of the whole vine, i.e. גפן. The reason Moses uses the comparison with Sodom is that just as Sodom's measure of guilt was complete before G'd destroyed it, so Israel would not be destroyed until its measure of guilt is complete.

כי מגפן סדום גפנם, Moses now explains why it had originally been G’d’s plan to annihilate the Jewish people totally so that there would remain no mention of them in the history of mankind, had it not been for the boast of the gentile nations to have accomplished this; They should have drunk from the vine of Sodom; i.e. just as there is no vestige left of the former inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah so there should have been no trace left of them. Both Isaiah 3,9 and 1,10 have compared the sins of the Jewish people to that of the Sodomites.

כי מגפן סדום גפנם ומשדמות עמורה, “for their vine is from the vine of Sodom and Gomorrah;” There is some repetition here, seeing that the meaning of the word שדמות is the same as גפן, “vine.” The word occurs in this sense in Isaiah 16,8: כי שדמות חשבון אומלל גפן שבמה, “for the vines of Cheshbon are withered and the vines of Sibmah.” The word also occurs in this sense in Chabakuk 3,17 ושדמות לא עשה אוכל, “and there is nothing edible on the vine.” Moses speaks of the nations whose roots are evil and bitter, so that one cannot expect the fruit to be sweet. Also the wine can only be “like the anger of dragons” (verse 33).

Galling beverages are appropriate for them, etc. As if it had said, “For their grapevine is of the grapevine of Sedom,” therefore, their galling clusters are fitting for them.

V. 32. כי bezieht sich auf das ganze Vorhergehende (Verse 29 — 31). Denn, wenn sie das über Israel Ergangene als Gottes Gericht begriffen, wenn sie die Gerichte erwogen hätten, die von diesem Gotte Israels bereits an andern Völkern geübt worden, sie hätten wahrlich, statt Israel zu drücken und zu höhnen, an ihr eigenes Ende denken, daran denken sollen, wie es ihnen ergehen werde, wenn einst Gott mit ihnen ins Gericht geht. Denn der Baum, von dem sie ihre Lebensfreuden pflücken, der Acker, von dem sie ihre Nahrung ernten, das sind ja Setzlinge von Sedoms und Amoras Pflanzung (siehe Bereschit 13, 10), Sedoms und Amoras, die dem Gottesgerichte nicht entgangen. Es ist ja nicht der Gedanke der Pflicht, es ist ja derselbe Egoismus und derselbe Hang nach Sinnlichkeit, der ja auch ihnen als leitendes Prinzip gilt. Darum wächst nichts Heilsames an ihrem Baum und die Trauben ihrer Freuden gehen ihnen in Bitterkeiten über.

כי מגפן סדום גפנם, “for their vine is of the vine of Sodom;” the cup of destruction has been poured out over them.

כי מגפן סדום גפנם, “for is then their vine of the vine of Sodom, and are then their grapes those that originate in Amora? (sister city of Sodom of old) Are all their thoughts sinful as the ones from those two cities, and is there nothing remotely sacred left in their philosophies? Did I not plant them as noble vines, etc.? (Jeremiah 2,21)

שדמת denotes fields of grain, as in (Habakkuk 3:17) “and the fields (שדמות) shall yield no corn”; (II Chronicles 23:4) “in the fields (בשדמות) of Kedron”.

ענבימו ענבי רוש, from this vine there sprouted forth for them grapes which are poison. This is a simile for the evil deeds committed by the Jewish people which backfired. The sins singled out are those of a social rather than a theological nature, as pointed out by Ezekiel.

ומשדמות עמורה, "and from the fields of Gomorrah." On the branches of a holy tree, the higher the branch the more holy its character. The highest branch, due to its extreme holiness, is described in the masculine gender to reflect that this is the one which provides the input, whereas the lowest is described in the feminine gender to reflect the idea that it is the recipient of that input. Moses described Israel's attachment to an evil root. He called the first one גפן, vine, masculine, to describe the fact that it provides the input, whereas the secondary one is described as שדה, field, which is feminine in Hebrew, reflecting its passive role as the recipient of that input. The intelligent reader will understand how to transfer concepts which are familiar from sanctity to its counterpart when dealing with spiritually negative phenomena.

ענבי רוש [THEIR GRAPES ARE] GRAPES OF רוש — The word denotes a bitter herb.

אשכלות מרורות למו, a bitter growth in their clusters; developing of erroneous philosophies, primarily justifying one’s conduct, rationalising it, is a natural corollary of such attitudes as self-centredness. First and foremost, they convince themselves that G’d does not ”see,” i.e. does not care, [that there is no personal G’d. They totally misinterpret G’d’s patience with the sinner. Ed.]

אשכלת ממרת למו BITTER CLUSTERS SHALL BE THEIRS — i.e. a bitter drink is what they deserve: according to their actions should be their punishment. Onkelos also renders it thus: “the recompense of their actions shall be according to their bitterness”.

חמת תנינים יינם THEIR WINE IS THE POISON OF DRAGONS — Understand this as the Targum does: הא כמרת תניניא כס פורענותהון which means: Behold, like the gall of serpents is the cup of the drink of their punishment.

חמת תנינים יינם, their wine is the venom of asps; among the clusters mentioned in verse 32 there are also poisonous grapes, hidden and unidentifiable among the grapes. This disaster awaits them as a manifestation of the attribute of Justice they have richly deserved. Until they actually are extracting the juice from these grapes [this is all hyperbole, of course, Ed.] G’d did not convert His threat of retribution into something actual. Compare Isaiah 63,3, G’d saying that He alone squeezed out these grapes by treading on them.

חמת תנינים, they should by rights have been made to drink the venom of asps had it not been for the desecration of G’d’s holy name that would have resulted from this, for the nations would have said: “we have accomplished this.”

Their cup, merciless to the bite victim, etc. “Their cup” refers to the adders.

V. 33. חמת וגו׳. Ihre Lust artet in niedrige Schadenfreude und Grausamkeit aus. Das Ganze ist eine Schilderung der oben als גוי נבל, als sittlich und staatlich entartet bezeichneten Völker, die Gott als Werkzeug seines Strafgerichts an Israel gebrauchte. — ראש siehe Kap. 29, 17. — אכזר. Die Bedeutung von אכזר ist unzweifelhaft. Es kommt wiederholt in der Bedeutung: grausam vor. Zweifelhaft ist die Ableitung. Verglichen mit אכזב (Jirm. 15, 18) wäre die Wurzel כזר, die aber weiter nicht vorkommt und nur vielleicht eine Analogie mit גזר, schneiden gewährt. Man könnte sich fast veranlasst sehen, es als ein Kompositum אך זר zu begreifen: etwas, was dem andern als völlig fremd, lieblos gegenüber steht.

חמת תנינים יינם, “their wine is the venom of serpents.” It will make them totally drunk.

וראש פתנים AND AS THE VENOM OF VIPERS is their cup — venom, which proves cruel (אכזר) to him who is bitten. The sense is: a cruel enemy will come and exact punishment from them.

פתנים אכזר, the word פתן means “a wicked creature;” it also occurs in Psalms 58,5 פתן חרש יאטם אזנו, “a deaf viper that stops its ears.”

A merciless enemy shall come, etc. I.e., this is the meaning of the verse, “A merciless enemy, etc.”

וראש פתנים אכזר, “and the cruel poison of asps.” Even their wine will be gall and wormwood.

הלא הוא כמס עמדי IS NOT THIS LAID UP IN STORE WITH ME — Understand this as the Targum has it: (“Are not all their doings open before me?”) — i.e., they believe that I have forgotten their doings, but really they are all stored up and kept with Me.

IS NOT THIS LAID UP IN STORE WITH ME — their cruel poison of asps?¹²⁹Verse 33. I have put it in My treasures¹³⁰In Verse 34 before us. to feed them from the fruit of their deeds.

הלא הוא כמוס עמדי, the meaning is similar to Isaiah 63,4 כיום נקם בלבי, “as the day of vengeance which I had kept hidden in my heart.” [the sins had to accumulate beyond reprieve before G’d carried out what had been at the back of His mind for a long time. Ed.]

הלא הוא כמוס עמדי, "Is it not concealed with Me?" Moses means that on account of the reaction of Israel's enemies to its punishment, G'd has so far refrained from dispensing the justice due for the sins committed by this people. If they appeared to do well this was not proof of their innocence, nor that they would not eventually be made to suffer the punishment they were guilty of. G'd reserved the indictment in anticipation of the Day of Judgment. Concerning that day, the prophet said (Isaiah 10,3: "and what are you going to do on the Day of Judgment (punishment)?" Read up on how much even the prophet Samuel was afraid of that day when he was asked to materialise before Saul (Chagigah) 4 and he thought that he was about to face that day of Judgment. Moses repeats the statement by saying חתום באוצרותי, "sealed in My treasuries." We may compare this to Exodus 34,7 where the Torah speaks about G'd being נושא עון, "suspending punishment for sins." Once G'd reaches the point where He is no longer able to tolerate the wickedness, He seals them in His treasuries and takes His revenge on the evildoers by even removing the sun from its orbit (if need be) as we have been told in Nedarim 8, "a day on which the sun will burn like a furnace." When Moses adds לי נקם, "Mine is the vengeance," this is a reference to G'd personally exacting this punishment.

?הא הוא כמוס עמדי, (G’d speaking) I keep careful track of the words of the wicked nations who boast, and I take My revenge for such boasts from them.

The fruit of their grapevine, etc. Rashi is answering the question: It is written, “Is this not, etc.” which is in the singular form, but Scripture should have written, “Are they not, etc. [the plural form]” because it is based on the explanation of “sequestered [with Me], etc. They think that I have forgotten their actions, etc.” Therefore Rashi explains that “it is [referring to] the fruit of their grapevine.” In other words that which is written above, “their grapevine” refers to the fruit of their grapevine. And this is what the phrase “Is this not, etc.” is referring to. This works well, for the word “fruit” can also be singular. Therefore Scripture says הוא which is masculine, and not היא [which is feminine], even though תבואה (grain)” is feminine, but because פרי (fruit) is masculine.

V. 34. כמם .הלא וגו׳ (verwandt mit קמץ in geschlossene Hand zusammengreifen, Wajikra 2, 2) bergen. Diesen Völkerausschreitungen gegenüber ist das ihrer wartende Gottesgericht, wenn auch unerkannt in der Gegenwart, doch geborgen bei Gott, und liegt bereits besiegelt in seinen Schätzen, gehört mit zu den Gestaltungen, welche die von seiner Waltung bezweckte Heileszukunft auf Erden herbeiführen.

הלא הוא כמוס עמדי, “Is it not stored up with Me? (the calamity striking the gentiles)

הלא הוא כמוס עמדי, “is this not laid up in store with Me?” Moses refers to the day when retribution for all their sins will come, as will be explained forthwith.

הלא הוא IS NOT THIS — the fruit of their vine and the produce of their fields (i.e. their doings) כמס עמדי STORED UP WITH ME?

חתום באוצרותי, sealed away securely. Compare Daniel 12,9 כי סתומים וחתומים הדברים, “the matters are sealed and safely stored.”

לי נקם ושלם means, with Me is prepared and held in readiness the punishment of vengeance, and it will recompense them according to their doings. As regards the word ושלם, it means that vengeance will pay them their recompense (וְשִׁלַּם is therefore a verb with the Vau conversive, the subject being the noun נקם which precedes it). — But some explain the word וְשִׁלַּם as a noun, having the same meaning as שִׁלּוּם “recompense”, when it would be of the same grammatical form as the noun in the phrase (Jeremiah 5:13) “And the דִּבֵּר is not in them”, where it has the meaning of דִּבּוּר, “Divine utterance”. And when will I recompense them?

לי נקם, it is up to Me to do the avenging from My enemies.

לי נקם ושלם, "Mine is the vengeance and the retribution." As mentioned previously and in Avodah Zarah 3, when that day arrives G'd will remove the sun from its orbit and the wicked will be burned by it whereas the righteous will experience the sun's heat as therapy and be healed by it. The sequence of the words לי נקם ושלם, means that at one and the same time what will be G'd's vengeance against the wicked will be the payment of a reward for the righteous.

ושלם, the word is a noun, meaning תשלום “payment.” We find a parallel to this in Jeremiah 5,13 where the word והדבר in הדבר אין בהם also means “the Word.” Jeremiah 44,21 has another similar construction when the prophet speaks of והקטר, vehakiter, “the incense offering.”

With Me, ready and available. Rashi wishes to explain how the word לי (to Me) can possibly apply to Hashem. “To Me” implies that it will come to Him from elsewhere, and this cannot be said about Hashem. From where could it come to Him? Everything is already in Hashem’s hand. Therefore Rashi explains that לי means “With Me.”

VENGEANCE IS MINE, AND RECOMPENSE. [To Me belongs vengeance] to avenge the cause of Israel from their hands, and Mine is the recompense to pay them according to their deeds for having repudiated Me. AGAINST THE TIME WHEN THEIR FOOT SHALL SLIP — when their measure [of sin] will be full, as it is stated, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.¹³¹Genesis 15:16. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that “the meaning thereof is [in line with the verse], yea, even the wicked for the day of evil,¹³²Proverbs 16:4. this constituting a great secret.”¹³³Reference is to the principle that when the Divine Providence is removed from the wicked he is caught in the web of the evil he has committed and his punishment is already prepared.

V. 35. אד .אידם .לי וגו׳ (Bereschit 2, 6). Der von der Erde zur Wolkenbildung aufsteigende Dunst, der sich dann wieder als Wolke über die Erde entladet. So sammelt sich aus den Verirrungen der Menschen selbst der verhängnisvolle Stoff zu dem Gewitter, das, wenn ihr Verhängnis reif geworden, sich über ihre Häupter entladet und איד wird zum Ausdruck für ein den Menschen treffendes Unglück. הלא איד לעול (Job. 31, 1). גם אני באידבם אשחק (Prov. 1, 26). וחש עתידת למו, der יום אידם eilt ihnen in allen kommenden Ereignissen herbei. Jedes kommende Ereignis ist ein Schritt zu diesem Ende.

לי נקם ושלם, “vengeance is Mine and recompense;” it is up to Me avenge Myself on them and to repay them for the evil they have done. The root שלם does not only mean (to make) peace, but “peace” is a word which describes a circle being completed. Therefore it is appropriate when being used as punishment for evil which upset the balance in the universe when being committed.

לי נקם ושלם, “vengeance is Mine and recompense;” G-d will be paid back by the Jewish people for the sins that He had to watch them indulge in.

לעת תמוט רגלם AT THE TIME WHEN THEIR FOOT SHALL TOTTER — i.e. when the merit of their ancestors upon which they are relying (which is, as it were, their foot, their support) will become exhausted.

ושלם, also the repayment tit for tat is My privilege and duty.

לעת תמוט רגלים, on that day when the feet of the nations will become unsteady, this is the day destined for their retribution.

The punishment by vengeance, and it shall administer [retribution] to them, etc. Rashi’s intention with this is that you should not ask: Is vengeance tangible that it is written “לי נקם ושלם (Literally: To Me is vengeance and repayment)”? By explaining “With Me” it implies that it is tangible!

לעת תמוט רגלם, "at the time when their foot will falter." This is the mystical dimension of Sotah 49 of the period known as עקבות משיחא. It is a period when the feet of Samael will begin to totter as the wicked will falter. [actually that folio in Sotah only describes the breakdown of social mores during the period preceding the arrival of the Messiah. Ed.]

לעת תמוט רגלם, “at the time when their foot shall slip;” when the time comes around when their foot will slip (naturally), I will use that time to repay them for the evil they have committed.

וחש עתידות למו, “and the things that are to come will make haste in arriving. This is one of the examples of masculine and feminine modes being used apparently indiscriminately. [The word עתידות is in the feminine mode, whereas the word למו, is an adjective in the masculine mode. Ed.] Other examples of such inconsistent grammatical combinations are found in: Deut, 22,23: כי יהיה נערה בתולה, when there is (masculine pronoun) “when there is a young virgin;” or in Deut. 21,3: והיה העיר הקרובה, “and the nearest city will be etc.; the word עיר is feminine, where as the pronoun והיה is in the masculine mode. The author quotes more such examples. Ed.]

כי קרוב יום אידם FOR THE DAY OF THEIR CALAMITY IS AT HAND — i.e. as soon as I shall desire to bring about the day of their calamity, it will be near at hand and held in readiness by Me — that I may bring it by any of the many agencies I have.

לעת תמוט רגלם, the time when this will occur will be when they are already perceived as tottering.

וחש עתידות למו, at that point in time I will hasten their retribution further.

Some interpret ושִׁלֵם as a noun, like ושִׁלוּם “and retribution.” And it means: Mine is the vengeance and the retribution that I will avenge against them and I will punish them according to their deeds.

כי קרוב יום אידם, "for the day of their disaster is near." This is the day referred to by the prophet as "the day of the Lord" (Tzefaniah 1,6).

כי קרוב יום אידם, “for the day of their calamity is at hand;” and I stand ready to take advantage of that time.

וחש עתדת למו means, AND THE THINGS THAT ARE TO COME (עתידות) UPON THEM WILL COME QUICKLY (חש).

עתידות, a reference to the prophecies of Bileam and others concerning these judgments by G’d.

This is similar to, “The word is not theirs, etc.” With this Rashi intends to bring a proof that even though it is not written with the letter vav to make it a noun. Even so it can be explained as if it was written as a noun.

והש עתידות למו, "and the future will rush towards them." These are the words of comfort which will all be fulfilled once the wicked get their just deserts. At that time G'd will hasten to keep His promises to the righteous.

וחש עתידות למו, “and the things in store for them will make haste.” The prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 60,22 referred to this concept when he said: בעתו אחישנה, “when its time is due, I will hasten it.” To the question when that time will arrive, Moses continues with

וחש — The word חש has the same meaning as the verb in (Isaiah V. 19) “Let him make speed and hasten (יחישה)”. — So far Moses exhorted them with words of reproof, so that this song should be witness against them, i.e., that when the punishment would come upon them they would know (acknowledge) that I told them about this from the very beginning. From here onwards he exhorted them with a statement of the comfort that would come upon them when their punishment would have ended; this being similar to all that is stated above (30:1—2) “And it shall come to pass when [all these things] are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, … then the Lord thy God will turn they captivity, etc.”

At the termination of the merit of the forefathers, etc. This means that the phrase “at the time when they shall stumble” is speaking only of administering retribution, but not of the vengeance. For the punishments of vengeance are always ready and prepared with Him.

As soon as I desire to inflict, etc. Rashi is answering the question: Why is it written, “For it is close by, etc.”? But now when Moshe is rebuking them they had not yet sinned! Even [Moshe] attributes [their current status as] being dependent on the merit of the forefathers. And the merit of the forefathers was still in force. So what is the meaning of “for it is close by, etc.”?

כי ידין ה' עמו — This means, when He will sentence them to all these sufferings that are mentioned concerning them. The phrase has the same meaning as (Job 36:31) “For by them ידין nations”, i.e. He will chastise the nations. — This word כי has not the meaning of “because”, giving the reason for the preceding statements, but it is an expression (a particle) beginning a new a statement, as (Leviticus 25:2) “When (וכי) ye will come into the land” (cf. Rashi on that passage). The meaning is: When these judgment will come upon them, and the Lord will bethink Himself concerning His servants to have mercy on them again.

כי קרוב יום אידם וחש עתידות למו כי ידין ה' עמו, for the day when the nations will experience their judgment is near as soon as G’d will judge His own nation. We know this from Ezekiel 20,38 וברותי מכם המורדים והפושעים, “I will remove from amongst you the ones who rebel and are professional sinners.” Soon thereafter, the gentile nations will experience their own judgment.

כי ידין ה׳ עמו, "When the Lord will judge His people, etc." After having concluded the subject of the people who have caused G'd to become angry, the Torah now turns to Israel as a whole, assuring the people that He will not quarrel with them forever. The words כי ידין השם mean that G'd will take a look at what many righteous have endured, some of whom have been murdered, others burned, etc. G'd will comfort Himself, i.e. relent, when He observes all this. This is why Moses says ועל עבדיו יתנחם, "and on account of His servants (what happened to them) He will relent." He relents on account of those of His children who remained His loyal servants. Furthermore, when G'd sees that the Israelites do not have the strength to save themselves from exile, and their righteous do not enjoy enough authority to discipline the sinners, He relents. He is aware that there are no longer any prophets amongst the Israelites, nor the outstanding men of former years whose influence on the people had beeen considerable. Compare Michah 7,1 אין אשכול לאכול, "there is not a cluster to eat." This is an example of Moses saying: כי אזלת יד, "G'd sees their might is gone." The words אפס עצור, mean that neither what was guarded nor preserved is still left." We find a similar statement in Samuel I 9,17: זה יעצור בעמי, "He will deliver My people," [King Saul. Ed.] The literal meaning is more like "he will stop the rut of My people," or "he will stop everybody from doing what he feels like, and introduce discipline into the lives of the nation." At any rate, it is a reference to the people being in a state of disarray. ועזוב, "and it is abandoned." This is a reference to the disarray the people find themselves in and which makes them feel abandoned. At that point,

כי ידין ה' עמו, that is the time when the nations will be made to pay by G’d for what they have done to His people. We find this vision spelled out clearly also in Psalms 110,6 ידין בגוים מלא גויות, “when He works judgment on the nations, heaping up bodies;”

כי ידין ה' עמו, “for the Lord will judge His people.” He will exact retribution from the wicked when Israel will observe that all their (own) power had waned and that they are either prisoners, עצורים, or forsaken in captivity, when they are almost completely lost, i.e. ואפס עצור ועזוב, “their power has shrunk to zero.”

When He punishes them with the afflictions, etc. But it cannot be explained according to its plain meaning, when He judges them whether for innocence or guilt. For if so, how does the next phrase, “And He will reconsider about His servants” fit in? For it implies that He will be “merciful towards his servants.” But perhaps they are found to be innocent in their judgment, and they would not require mercy!

V. 36. דון .כי ידין ד׳ עמו וגו׳ heißt überhaupt, das Recht in einem gegebenen Falle zur Geltung bringen, daher auch ganz eigentlich die Sache des Rechtsgekränkten vertreten (siehe zu Bereschit 30, 6 u. 49, 16. — יתנחם siehe zu Bereschit 6, 6). Der Kausalsatz כי usw. schließt sich dem unmittelbar Vorhergehenden an und blickt auf die mit V. 26 abgebrochene Schilderung des über Israel kommenden Leidensverhängnisses zurück. Die Völker werden erinnert, des Tages des Gerichtes und der Vergeltung zu gedenken, die auch für sie kommen werden. Denn, heißt es hier, wenn Israel, seiner Verirrungen wegen seines staatlichen Glückes verlustig, ins Exil wandern musste und — zu seiner und der Völker Belehrung — in ihre Mitte zerstreut und ihrer Willkür hilflos preisgegeben ward, so war es doch, wie immer auch von seiner idealen Bestimmung abgefallen, den Völkern gegenüber עמו ועבדיו, das Gottesvolk und die Seinem Gesetzeswillen und Seinen Waltungszwecken sich dienend Unterordnenden geblieben. Zum vollendeten Bundesbruch mit Gott und seinem Gesetze und zur gänzlichen Verleugnung desselben war es ja nie gekommen. Das dieser שירה zu Grunde liegende כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו (Kap. 31, 21) hat sich doch ebenso wie die verheißenen Leiden und eben in ihnen bewährt. Waren sie daher durch die Entziehung des Gottesschutzes den Ausschreitungen der Völker hilflos preisgegeben, so war damit doch nicht eine jede Misshandlung, die sie zu erdulden hatten, gerechtfertigt. Vielmehr war diese Zerstreuung der Machtlosen unter die Mächtigen zugleich eine ernste Probe für diese, wie weit die Menschlichkeit und das Rechtsgefühl in ihrer Brust zur Geltung kam. Denn nicht in der Behandlung des Mächtigen, allenfalls zur Vergeltung Gerüsteten, zeigt sich die Menschlichkeit und das Recht. Wie viel Teilnahme und Rechtsachtung der Schwache unter Starken, der Mensch unter Menschen findet, das ist der Gradmesser des sittlichen Werts der Starken. Darum ידין ד׳ עמן, wird Gott über die Behandlung, die "sein Volk" inmitten der Völker gefunden, zu Gericht gehen, ועל עבדיו יתנחם und zeigt sich in geändertem Ratschluss über "seine Diener", ׳כי יראה וגו, sobald er sieht, dass sein Volk und seine Diener alles eingebüßt und nichts Beachtungswertes und nichts Geringes mehr haben, woraus ihnen eine Stütze und eine Zukunft erwachsen könnte. Mit den Verse 23, 24 und 25 geschilderten Leiden hat das über Israel sich vollziehende Verhängnis seinen vernichtendsten Grad erreicht. Mit dem כי יראה כי אזלת יד usw. war der Ausspruch (V. 20) אראה מה אחריתם verwirklicht, und mit der statt des אפאיהם (V. 26) eingetretenen Zerstreuung ein Anfang zur Rettung und Heilung betreten. Vergl. die Aussprüche der Weisen: צדקה עשה הב׳׳ה עם ישראל שפזרן בין האומות (Pesachim 87 b) und תנא דבי אליהו ששת אלפים שנה הוי עלמא שני אלפים תוהו שני אלפים תורה שני אלפים ימות המשיח ובעונותינו שרבו יצאו מהם מה שיצאו (Sanhedrin 98 a). — (Zu der chronologischen Zusammenstellung Raschis der שני אלפים תורה dürfte hinzuzufügen sein, dass die Abfassung der משנה, dieser große Akt der Erhaltung der תורה vor dem fortschreitenden Auseinandergehen der jüdischen Gesamtheit in die Zerstreuung, um 3978 a. m. 150 J. nach dem חורבן, somit in die letzte Zeit der שני אלפים תורה fällt. Um das Jahr 3978 a. m. ging, nach ר׳ שרירא גאון, zu רבי׳s Lebzeiten רב nach Babylon und stirbt dort um das Jahr 4003.)

כי ידין ה' עמו, “when the Lord will judge His people;” when G–d has reason to judge His people, He will deal with the (guilty) gentile nations at the same time.

כי ידין, “for He will judge, etc.” this kind of judgment involves the sinner having to endure painful experiences on his body. An example of this is found in Job 36,31: בם ידין עמים, “by means of these things He controls people” (judges people), giving or denying them their food supply.

יתנחם HE WILL REPENT — This is an expression for changing one’s mind whether for good or for evil.

ועל עבדיו יתנחם, He will reconsider the evil times for which His people are due on account of His servants, the righteous among them, as we know from Isaiah 65,8 כן אעשה למען עבדי, לבלתי השחית הכל, “so will I do for the sake of My servants and not destroy everything.”

כי יראה כי אזלת יד, when He sees that

The Holy One, Blessed Is He will reconsider concerning His servants, etc. [Rashi] needed to reverse the order [of the words], because after the suffering comes the consolation and afterwards, “to make known that it is on His servants.” Since the verse repeated and said, “About His servants” and “His people” [alone] which precedes it did not suffice. It requires that Hashem’s Name also be repeated, as if it said, “When Hashem administers justice against His people, and Hashem will reconsider about His servants.”

אזלת, seltene Form für אולה wie ונשכחת צור (Jes.23, 15). אפס עצור ועזוב, עצור ist das, was der Mensch sich zu erhalten bemüht ist, עזוב das für ihn Wertlose, um dessen Erhaltung er sich nicht kümmert. Der Ausdruck der höchsten Machtlosigkeit ist es, wenn das, was man sich zu erhalten wünscht, ebenso verloren ist wie das, was man sich selbst überlässt. So auch Kön. II. 14, 10.

ועל עבדיו יתנחם, ”and He will relent in His attitude to His servants.” G–d will reconsider any decree which He issued as a result of the Israelites causing Him anger.

ועל עבדיו יתנחם, “and He will repent Himself for His servants.” When His erstwhile servants who had become disloyal but had subsequently done penitence, He will repent His harsh decrees. We find confirmation of this in Jeremiah18,8.

כי יראה כי אזלת יד WHEN HE SEETH THAT THEIR POWER IS GOING ON — i.e. when He sees that the power of the enemies is constantly becoming exceedingly stronger over them,ואפס AND THERE IS NOT among them עצור ועזוב.

כי יראה כי אזלת יד, the reason why G’d does something for the people on account of His servants the righteous that He had not done during all the many years of the exile, is that He sees that this time they really had come to the end of heir rope; they had reached the kind of low that makes living on a hopeless undertaking. This is what had happened in Egypt immediately before the redemption, the Exodus. The Torah spells this out even in the recital by the farmer in Deut. 26,7 “He saw our plight, our misery and our oppression.” As a result, “He brought us to this place.” (the Land of Israel)

Israel

When he sees that the power [lit. hand] surging, etc. By this, Rashi corrects several matters. He explains “that He will see” as “when He sees” because the word כי (when) here is like “When (כי) you come to the land, etc.” (Vayikra 25:2) which means “when.” And the word אזלת means “surging.” The word “power” refers back to the enemy, even though it is not mentioned here. He also added the word “against them” to inform who the power is going against. “None (אפס)” means “no more” as in the verse, “for there is no (אפס) money” (Bereishis 47:15). “Structured (עצוב)” means collected under the authority of the ruler. “Fortified” (עזוב) means “strengthened” and he added the term “among them” after “and that there is no one” because “no more” applies only applies to them, i.e. it is finished their being gathered and strengthened. Rashi also adds “The Holy One, Blessed Is He” after “He shall say” to inform that the one who says “Where is their god” is The Holy One, Blessed Is He. He adds “concerning them” to show the subject of “their gods” refers to “about His servants” mentioned above. The conjunctive vav of ואמר “And He shall say” is like the vav of “And the Lord your God will guard (ושמר) for you” (Devarim 7:12) which means “He will guard” [in the future tense]. The meaning of the verses are as follows: When Hashem will inflict suffering on His people with all these afflictions, and He will reconsider and console them when He sees that the power of the enemy becoming greater and greater against them, and they cease to be guarded and held strongly, to be without a protector or a ruler, Hashem will say of them, “Where are your idols in whom you trusted? Let them come and save you.” Therefore it is appropriate for you to understand from all the evils that I have brought on you, and there is no savior from all the idols in whom you trusted. They have no power to stay My hand, because it is I Who has the power to lower or to raise, and “no one can rescue you from My grasp.” Afterwards Scripture mentions the vengeance which He will wreak on the enemies.

ואפס עצור ועזוב, “and there is none remaining, shut up or left at large.” This is due to the fact that they have no one ready or able to come to their aid. The root עזב, occurs in this sense of assisting in Exodus 23,5: עזוב תעזו, “be sure to assist!”

כי יראה כי אזלת יד, “when He sees that its strength is spent;” compare Isaiah 51,21: ושכורת ולא מיין, “and drunk but not from wine.”

עצור is one who is saved by a עוצר (a “restrainer”) and ruler who would restrain them,

on its own is powerless and forsaken. The verb עזב is used both transitively and intransitively, the former in Exodus 23,5 where intentional refusal to assist is considered as a sinful act of commission, whereas the assistance rendered to the owner of the animal is considered fulfilling a positive commandment. In Nechemyah 3,8 it also occurs as something transitive, i.e. restoring the wall around Jerusalem.

ואפס עצור ועזוב, and none remains either imprisoned or roaming free. A reference to the people having no secret stash of cash hidden in their homes or buried in the field.

עזוב means one saved by an עוזב. Now an עוצר is a ruler who keeps the people in check that they should not march in scattered groups when they go into war against the enemy, maintenue in old French, (Engl = maintainer). Consequently עצור (the passive) is one who is saved through the restraint of the ruler. עזוב is one who is strengthened, as (Nehemiah 3:8) “and they fortified (ויעזבו) Jerusalem unto the broad wall”; (Jer. 49:25) “How is this city of praise not helped (עזובה)!”. In old French anforcede, (English = fortified).

ואמר AND HE, the Omnipresent, WILL SAY with regard to them אי אלהימו WHERE ARE THEIR GODS which they served.

AND HE SHALL SAY, WHERE ARE THEIR GODS. The enemy will say, “Where is the G-d of Israel?” as it is stated, Wherefore should the nations say: ‘Where is now their G-d?’¹³⁴Psalms 115:2.

?ואמר אי אלוהימו, also the gentile nations asked: “where is Israel’s G’d? Therefore, out of concern for the honour due to My name I will save them and avenge them from their enemies, for I had already said at the beginning of their history that although I should wipe them out after the sin of the golden calf, I would not carry out My intention so that the nations of the world could not take the credit for having triumphed over Me. Now, however, that their former strength had become so completely negligible that the nations take credit for having laid Israel low, and they ask mockingly: “where is their G’d now?” I will avenge them in order to sanctify My holy name which these nations have desecrated by their very mockery of Me.

ואמר, at that point G’d will say to Israel

ואמר אי אלוהימו, “and when he (the enemy) will say (sarcastically) where is their god?” We know that Titus after cutting into the dividing curtain in the Temple found the Holy of Holies empty, exclaimed in this fashion, astounded that there was no image (compare Gittin 56b). This is also what the prophet Micah 7,10 referred to when he said: “when my enemy sees it, she will be covered with shame. She who taunts me with ‘where is He, the Lord your G’d?’”

אי אלוקימו Israel will begin to ask at such a time: "where is their G'd, the Rock that used to be its refuge?" Even though the deeds of the Israelites are not such that they qualify for G'd's intervention on its behalf, the people will come with a complaint against G'd although they observe only a small part of G'd's Torah. They do at least feel that their G'd ought to take them under His wings. They are conscious that they suffer all kinds of afflictions on account of the Lord being their G'd. They allowed themselves to die for the sake of the holy name of G'd, even. This is why they (the survivors) look to G'd hopefully, i.e. צור חסיו בו, "the Rock in whom they sought refuge."

VV. 37 u. 38. ואמר וגו׳. Wenn Israel durch feindliche Natur- und Menschenmacht so heruntergekommen, dass seine völlige Macht- und Hilflosigkeit sichtbar am Tage liegt, wird Gott dadurch endlich Israel für immer die völlige Nichtigkeit alles dessen zum Bewusstsein gebracht haben, worin es, von Gott abgewendet, die Schöpfer und Schutzmächte seines Glückes und seiner Freuden hat suchen wollen, denen es חלב זבחימו, das Beste seiner Wohlstandsopfer, und יין נסיכם, den Opferguss seines Freudenweins, zum Huldigungsanteil gebracht. Subjekt von יאכלו und ישתו ist wohl אלהימו, da חלב und יין des Opfers nicht vom Opfernden genossen wurde, sondern der Gottheit dargebracht wurde, die in beiden gleichsam den Genussanteil vom Opfermahl erhielt. Im jüdischen Opfer kommen חלב und יין dem der Hingebung an das Gottesgesetz errichteten Altar zur Nahrung und Weihe.

ואמר, “He will say: (mockingly),” who? The enemy.

ואמר אי אלהימו, and it is said: “where are their deities?” (a mocking question by Israel’s enemies) It makes fun of the people whom G-d had spent so much effort to redeem from Egypt, and who by now have fallen so low. All the deities they worship now in lieu of their G-d do not have the power between them to help them.

צור חסיו בו THE ROCK IN WHOM THEY TRUSTED — i.e. the rock beneath which they sought shelter (more lit., with which they covered themselves) from the heat and the cold; that is to say, “in which they trusted” that it would protect them against evil.

אי אלוהימו, where is now this god of the gentile nations upon whom you have relied, spurning Me? This is the period when all of G’d’s agents who had been assigned as protective forces for the gentile nations will be simultaneously removed from their function. Compare Isaiah 24,21.

אי אלוהימו, “where is their G–d? (Now, Who assisted them as long as the Temple was standing)

אשר חלב זבחימו THE FAT OF WHOSE SACRIFICES THEY, i.e. these gods — used to eat, which they offered to them, and which used to drink יין נסיכם THE WINE OF THEIR DRINK OFFERING.

יקומו ויעזרכם, "Let them arise and help you!" There are two kinds of idolatry and idolators. 1) Someone is wholly committed to serve idols for their own sake. 2) Someone who only serves idols for self-serving purposes, i.e. in order to manipulate the deity for his own purpose. G'd forbade both kinds of idolatry in Exodus 20,4. Concerning the person who only goes through the motions of serving an idol for what he expects to get out of it, G'd said here: "let the deity arise and help you, i.e. you will be sorely disappointed." Concerning the other type of idolator G'd says sarcastically: יהי עליכם סתרה, "let them be a hide-out for you!"

אשר חלב זבחימו יאכלו, the deities whom the Israelites worshipped and to whom they presented their offerings.

יקומו ויעזרכם, “let them arise now and help you!” G’d will follow up by mockingly telling the Jewish people that now the time had come for them to appeal to the gentile nations whose lifestyles they had shared to help them against the judgment being visited upon them by the G’d, the One whom they had forsaken. They had assumed that by assimilating during their exile, these host nations as well as their gods would protect them.

אשר חלב זבחימו יאכלו, “the fat of whose offerings they would eat, etc.” Nachmanides writes that the reason that Moses employs the plural mode is that the nations of the world are numerous, so that when the Jews ate of the offerings presented to the various deities of the nations, they ate of a whole variety of such offerings. This made their sins even worse

אשר חלב זבחמו יאכלו, “the ones who should have consumed the fat parts of their offerings.” This is part of the taunt of Israel’s enemies at the time of their political low point. The plural יאכלו is a reference to the ‘gods’ of Israel by its enemies, and reflects their inability to comprehend that Israel believes in a single G’d, not in a variety of competing powers in the universe. They are taunting us by suggesting that these “gods” of ours should arise and help us. When the enemy continues with יהי עליכם סתרה, “may it be for you a protection,” instead of saying יהיו in the plural i.e. “let them be a protection” [as would have been appropriate in light of what we just explained]. The nations keeping Israel captive jeer, saying: “if indeed the god whom you believe in is only one, let Him hide you from all the persecutions which you are suffering and which you are about to endure still.”
Alternatively, we can understand these words as referring to G’d saying: “where is this god of the pagans to whom they offered all these sacrifices and libations of wine? This is the way Rashi understands the line. This is the basis for our sages in Avodah Zarah 29 deriving that יין נסך, wine of the pagans (normally used as a sacrificial offering to their gods), is prohibited not only to drink but to derive any benefit from. The fact that the Torah mentions this wine right next to the sacrifices of animals, זבחמו, establishes this halachic linkage between the two.

WHO ‘YOCHEILU’ (DID EAT) THE FAT OF THEIR SACRIFICES — for Israel was more constant in the service of offerings and drink-offerings than any other nation to its gods. He mentions the plural: ‘yocheilu’ (‘they’ did eat), ‘yishthu’ (‘they’ did drink), and their ‘gods’¹³⁵Above, Verse 37. which are in the plural [although referring to G-d Who is One] because according to the nations [whose words He is now citing] there are many deities. Therefore He turns [to Israel] and says, See now all My people, that I, even I, am He, One, and there is no god with Me¹³⁶Verse 39. to assist Me, and there is no one to oppose Me, to deliver out of My hand or object to My doing whatever I wish — to kill, to wound, to make alive and to heal.¹³⁶Verse 39.

אשר חלב זבחמו יאכלו, “Who would consume the fat of their sacrifices?” (At the time when these would be offered in their Temple)

אשר חלב זבחימו יאכלו, “who did eat the fat of their sacrifices;” the sacrifices offered by the gentile nations to their respective deities. The fact is that the gentiles themselves consume the “offerings” they present to their inert deities.

יהי עליכם סתרה LET IT BE YOUR PROTECTION — i.e., let that rock (v. 37) be a refuge and shelter to you.

סתרה, let these deities hide you and protect you, if they indeed possess such power. Now that you know they are unable to help you, G’d will once again take you under His protective shadow.

אשר חלב זבחמו יאכלו, "the fat of whose offerings they used to eat, etc." This is G'd's response to their words. The sequence of the words here has to be read as follows: "For G'd will judge His people…and He will then relent considering all they have already suffered, taking into consideration also their present state of utter helplessness plus the fact that after all the people do turn to Him." G'd then responds that those who used to offer sacrifices and eat the fat parts themselves experienced that not therein lay their salvation יקומו. They should arise (anew) in order to finally realise that their salvation did not lie in the number of their sacrifices but that only G'd is the Saviour. This is the meaning of ראו עתה כי אני השם, "See, now, that only I am the Lord" (verse 39).

ישתו יין נסכם, “and drink the wine of their offering?” A reference to the libations offered on the altar.

יקומו ויעזרכם, “let them arise now and help you!” The Israelites will say this about the deities of the gentiles when the time for their own salvation has come.

יקומו ויעזרכם, “Let them rise up and help you!” (This is a sarcastic comment, including all the gentiles’ various deities.)

יהי עליכם סתרה, “let him be your protection!”

ראו עתה SEE NOW — Realise now from the punishment which I have brought upon you and from which there was no one to save you, and, on the other hand, from the help which I will render you and there will be none who can prevent Me,

For it is I! I am the One!. It repeats the word “I” to negate the view of those who say that there are two deities, one who rules over good, and one who rules over evil… The proof of this is that it states, “I put to death and make live … and no one can rescue from My grasp.” If there was another deity with Me, he would save from My hand, and the dead would live, the living would die instantly. From this you can understand and know that there is no other deity Our Sages learned from here the source for the resurrection of the dead in the Torah (Pesachim 68a), as it states, “I put to death and make live.” One might think that this refers to putting one person to death and making another person live, therefore the verse states, “I smite and I will heal.” Just as smiting and healing are referring to the same person , so too death and life refer to the same person. The support for their opinion is that it first states, “put to death” and then “make live”.

ראו עתה כי אני אני הוא, realise now that it had been I Who had brought disaster in exile upon you!

ראו עתה כי אני אני הוא, "See, now, that I, I am He." Moses repeats the word אני twice, once each vis-a-vis the two kinds of idolators we have just described. The word אני, emphasises "I and no one else" when applied to the first kind of idolator, whereas it means "I alone," when applied to the second kind of idolator. He continues: ואין אלוהים עמדי, "and there is no other deity with Me," that there are no intermediaries between G'd and His creatures.

ראו עתה כי אני אני הוא, G’d addresses the nations of the earth who have said: ”where is their G’d?,” that when they would now experience G’d’s judgment and how He avenges the injustice done to His people, that He is very much around, notwithstanding their mockery of Him.

ראו, “See!” Moses addresses the nations collectively, hence the plural mode.

ראו עתה כי אני אני הוא, “see now, that I, I am He.” The word אני, as well as the words אתה or הוא, describe a presence, an existence of the subject. They are both nouns [as opposed to pronouns. Ed.] just as in Sukkah 48: אני והו הושיעה נא. I have already explained that verse in Exodus 15,2 when discussing the words זה א-לי ואנוהו.
Moses is at the point where he sums up what he has been saying in this song. The function of these nouns (names) here is to express love and foretell that those who have been scattered will once again be gathered in and united [describing Himself in the first person as well as in the third person is G’d’s way of hinting at the fact that what had been scattered can be fused together again. Ed.]
Subsequently, G’d continues with: “I kill, but I also revive.” This is an allusion to the resurrection which will follow the redemption after a relatively brief interval. He then continues, quoting the Lord, with: “I am the One Who lives forever.” (verse 40). This is an allusion to the world of the future which will follow the era of the life of the resurrected bodies. This is in accordance with the view expressed in Sanhedrin 90 that the dead who will be resurrected at the time of the resurrection will not die again. (See lengthy treatment of the subject on Deut. 30,15). These people will be transferred to a celestial region with body and soul intact, where they will continue a life which knows no death. Concerning this life, our sages always say that “people destined for it have been ‘invited’ to the world of the future.” This is the ultimate purpose of the whole system of reward and punishment, and concerning this experience even the prophet Isaiah 64,3 already said that it is beyond the powers of any prophet to describe, as none has been privileged to have been shown a vision of it. It is something reserved exclusively for G’d to show to the people so honored.
To give us an even stronger hint of the concealed nature of what life in that region will be like, the word לעלם, “forever,” has been spelled without the letter ו. Our sages compare this to the first vision of G’d Moses experienced in Exodus 3,15 where G’d also used this word when He said זה שמי לעלם, “this is My Name forever.” There too our sages point to he absence of the letter ו, i.e. at the concealed elements of such a future. Whereas up until now, Moses had been speaking, at this juncture, G’d resumes speaking. Hearing the promise of a redemption from G’d directly is more reassuring than hearing it through the words of an intermediary. It convinces the listeners that the ingathering will be orchestrated by G’d Himself, not through one of His agents. If and when this occurs, all the nations will sing the praises of His people (verse 43).

It is I Who humbles, etc. Rashi explains the necessity of the repetition of the word “I (אני).”

V. 39. ראו וגו׳. Nun, nachdem alles, alles andere, worauf ihr eure Zuversicht gesetzt, sich euch nutzlos und nichtig erwiesen, und von keiner Seite euch Hilfe und Rettung winkt, nun sehet, כי אני אני הוא, dass Ich allein Ich bin, Ich allein die absolute, von nichts abhängige, ihr Sein nur in Sich tragende, in ihrem Wollen durch nichts bedingte ewig unveränderliche, Ich allein die einzige wirkliche Persönlichkeit bin, der gegenüber alles andere bedingt und in seinem Gegensatz nichtig ist, von der somit alles Gewordene ward und alles Werdende allein zu erhoffen ist, der daher allein euch bleibt, nachdem mit Ihm, als ihr ihn verließet, alles andere euch verlassen. אני אמית ואחיה, in mir allein wohnt der ewige Quell alles Seins und Lebens, Ich töte, Ich belebe auch wieder, מחצתי, wie Ich es war, der euch geschlagen, ואני ארפא, so bin auch Ich es allein, der , ich euch wieder heile, ואין מידי מציל: ihr habt geglaubt, euch durch Huldigung anderer Schutzmächte meiner Beherrschung und Leitung entziehen zu können, ihr sehet nun, wie ich euch doch mir nicht habe verloren gehen lassen, wie ich, wenngleich auf langen Umwegen, über Wege des Todes und des Leidens euch wieder zu meiner ausschließlichen Herrschaft und Leitung zurückführe.

ראו עתה כי אני אני הוא, “See, now, that I, I am He;” As to those who had mockingly asked where the Israelites’ G–d was when they were in exile and persecuted, now they would see that He is not only the G–d of the Israelites but the G–d over the whole universe and what it contains. He is about to demonstrate this. And as far as considering themselves as His junior partners,

ראו עתה כי אני אני הוא, “See now that I, even I am He;” thus says the Lord to the nations that had enslave Israel.

אני אני הוא [THAT] IT IS I, EVEN I — I am He Who have the power to abase (make low) and it is I who have the power to raise,

ואין אלוהים עמדי, I had not required the assistance of any other deity. Your misfortune was not due to any celestial forces appointed by Me.

כי אני אני הוא, “that I, I am He;” I am unique, have no duplicate.

אני אמית ואחיה, "It is I who kill and who bring to life." This statement is addressed to the people who believe that there are two distinct forces at work in the universe, a benevolent one and a destructive one. The Torah goes on record that this is not so, but that all fateful decisions are exclusively G'd's domain. In order to emphasise that G'd intervenes even in what appear to be minutiae, G'd adds: "I strike down and I heal."

ואין אלהים עמדי, “there is no other deity beside Me.”
אני אתית ואני אחיה, “I cause death, and I resurrect (exclusively).” I alone possess this power, and only I am able to resurrect the dead.

כי אני אני הוא, “I am the One Who will not change, always remain the same;”

ואין אלהים עמדי AND THERE IS NO GOD WITH ME — i.e. standing against Me to prevent this.

אני אמית ואחיה, only I decree death and resurrection.(compare Ezekiel 37,12)

ואין אלוהים עמדי, “and no deity is with Me.” I do not have nor need any helper. There is no one who can effectively oppose Me, and prevent Me from carrying out anything I have set My mind to do. Ibn Ezra says that the meaning of the repetition in the phrase אני אני הוא, is that G’d announces that He is constant and will not undergo any change. I am the G’d, Who, when the need arises brings death to Israel, and I am the same G’d, Who, when the situation warrants it, brings this people back to life. They will be saved, but from no other source than Myself. Many commentators say that the concept of a future world, one beyond death, is derived plainly from this verse. They prove this from G’d saying first: “I will kill,” and then “I will revive,” and not the reverse order according to which physical death is the end of the human existence. The same thought is expressed in the same sequence as מוריד שאול ויעל, ”He brings death and gives life.“ (Samuel I 2,6 Channah’s prayer of thanksgiving.)

ואין מידי מציל. "and there is no one who can rescue from My hand." This means that all creatures are mortal. In order to make this point clear G'd did not say ואין מציל מידי, but ואין מידי מציל.

מחצתי ואני ארפא, “I have wounded and I am able to heal.” I will heal them, (My people). Concerning what you gentiles have said sarcastically: יקומו ויעזרכם, “let them arise and help you,” there is no one who can help other than I who can help you. By the same token, no one can save you from Me. (if I decide your destruction).

אני אמית ואחיה, “I kill and I resurrect;” about Him it has been said: ובלע המות לנצח, “He will do away with death forever;” (Isaiah 25,8) now the time has come that I will bring to life מחצתי, “I have wounded;” a reference to what He did to the Israelites in the not too distant past; ואני ארפה, “and I heal;” from now on I will heal them to remain well permanently.

עמדי means, who is my equal and like Me.

מחצתי, I have smashed, by decreeing your unsettled condition, forcing you to move from one country to another without taking permanent root in any of them. (compare Kings I 14,15) where the prophet compares the existence of the Jewish people after G’d has chastised them as similar to that of a reed which is constantly moving.

ואין מידי מציל AND THERE IS NONE WHO CAN DELIVER OUT OF MY HAND those who rebel against Me.

ואני ארפא, and only I can bring healing, as described in Isaiah 30,26.

כי אשא אל שמים ידי FOR I SHALL LIFT UP MY HAND TO HEAVEN — This means; for in My wrath I shall lift up My hand to Myself in an oath.

FOR I LIFT UP MY HAND TO HEAVEN. By way of the plain meaning of Scripture this is an oath by His throne. He states I lift up, for whoever takes an oath raises his hand and touches the object by which he swears. And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], during the time of the exile He hath cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel.¹³⁷Lamentations 2:1. He, therefore states that now in an acceptable time¹³⁸Isaiah 49:8. He will lift His hand to the highest heavens, the reference being to the great hand¹³⁹Exodus 14:31. See Ramban there (Vol. II, pp. 190-191). that fights on behalf of Israel. And this is the sense of the expression, And I say: As I live forever,¹⁴⁰In Verse 40 before us. for I make My strong hand active when I whet the lightning of My sword¹⁴¹Verse 41. and support it [My hand] to prevail for the justice of Israel [which, until then, had been cast down to the earth]¹⁴²Abusaula. and to recompense them that hate Me,¹⁴¹Verse 41. for then will G-d’s Name be full and the throne perfect.¹⁴³See Exodus 17:16 (Vol. II, pp. 246-248). The student learned in the mysteries of the Cabala will understand.
Now this Song, which is our true and faithful testimony, tells us clearly all that will happen to us. It mentions first the mercy that the Holy One, blessed be He, bestowed upon us from the time He took us to be His portion. It mentions the favors that He did for us in the wilderness, and that He caused us to possess the lands of great and mighty nations, and the abundant good, wealth, and honor that He made us inherit there. Yet despite the abundance of all good, they rebelled against G-d to worship the idols, and it mentions how He was provoked by them until He visited upon them in their country pestilence, famine, the evil beast, and the sword, and then He dispersed them in every direction and corner. It is known that all this has been fulfilled, and it was so. And the Song states that ultimately He will render vengeance to His adversaries¹⁴⁴Verse 43. and will recompense them that hate Him.¹⁴¹Verse 41. The reason [for their punishment] is that they inflicted all these evils upon us out of their hatred of the Holy One, blessed be He: because they do not hate Israel for having made idols like theirs, but only because they do not imitate their deeds. Instead they serve the Holy One, blessed be He, and observe His commandments, neither intermarrying with them nor eating of their slaughterings, and they [Israel] hold their idol in contempt and remove it from their places, similar to what [the psalmist] said, but for Thy sake are we killed all the day.¹⁴⁵Psalms 44:23. If so, it is because of their hatred of the Holy One, blessed be He, that they inflict all these evils upon us; they are thus His adversaries and His enemies, and it is for Him to wreak vengeance upon them. And it is clear, that He assures [Israel] concerning the future redemption, for, during the construction of the Second Temple, the nations did not rejoice with His people,¹⁴⁴Verse 43. but mocked them: What are these feeble Jews doing?¹⁴⁶Nehemiah 3:34. Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned? And their leaders were servants in the palace of the king of Babylon¹⁴⁷See Daniel 1:19. So was Nehemiah the cupbearer to the Persian king (Nehemiah 2:1). and all the Jews were subject to him. In those days He did not render vengeance to His adversaries and He did not make expiation for the land of His people.¹⁴⁴Verse 43.
Now, in this Song there is no condition of repentance or service [of G-d as a prerequisite for the coming redemption], but it is a testamentary document that the evils will come and that we will endure them, and that He, blessed be He, will do with us in furious rebukes¹⁴⁸Ezekiel 5:15. — but He will not destroy our memory. Rather, He will return and be comforted and will punish the enemies with His sore and great and strong sword,¹⁴⁹Isaiah 27:1. and forgive our sins, for His Name’s sake.¹⁵⁰Psalms 79:9. If so, this Song is a clear-promise of the future redemption — the infidels notwithstanding. And so the Rabbis mentioned in the Sifre:¹⁵¹Sifre, Ha’azinu 333. “Great is this Song, for there is in it the present, the past, the future, and there is in it this world and the World to Come.” It is to this that Scripture alludes in saying, And Moses came and spoke all the words of this Song in the ears of the people.¹⁵²Verse 44. It mentions all [‘all’ the words] in order to indicate that the Song contains everything that is to come upon them although it is brief in words, for Moses explained its many subjects to them.
Now, if this Song had been written by one of the astrologers declaring the end from the beginning¹⁵³Isaiah 46:10. it would have earned belief therein because all its words have been fulfilled by now, not one thing hath failed.¹⁵⁴Joshua 23:14. Certainly we shall continue to believe and look forward with all our heart for the word of G-d by the mouth of His prophet, the most trusted in all His house,¹⁵⁵Numbers 12:7. [and like unto him] was there no one before him, neither after him¹⁵⁶II Kings 23:25. — peace be upon him!
V’zoth Habrachah

כי אשא אל שמים ידי, in order to swear an oath. This is a formulation similar to Daniel 12,7 וירם ימינו ושמאלו אל השמים,”he raised both his right hand and his left hand toward heaven.”

כי אשא אל שמים ידי, "For I raise My hand towards heaven, etc." The wording is equivalent to an oath. G'd swears by the fact that He raises His hand that He will take revenge on Israel's oppressors. אם שנותי ברק חרבי, "If I sharpen My flashing sword, etc." The whole verse is an expression by the attribute of Justice.

כי אשא, reinforcing what He says by an oath, as in Genesis 14,22 where the oath is used in the same sense, although the verb used by Avraham is הרימותי ידי instead of אשא ידי as here.

For, in My fury, etc. Rashi explains: It is written, “The heavens are My throne, etc.” (Yeshayah 66:1) and so if He Himself sits in heaven, so how is it feasible that He raises His hand heavenward? Therefore Rashi explains that when it is written, “heavenward” it means “to Myself” i.e. towards Myself. When [Rashi] explains, “For in My fury, etc.” he means to say that it is not general practice to swear unless one makes a promise and then he swears to verify his word. If so, why does Hashem take an oath here? He did not make a promise! For this reason Rashi explains “for in My fury, etc.” i.e. nevertheless, due to His great anger against the enemy to wreak vengeance on him, and not to reconsider this, He took an oath that He will seek vengeance from the enemy. Re”m wrote: But I do not know the meaning of the word כי in the phrase “For (כי) I will raise My hand heavenward.” It does not fit with any of the four possible meanings of ki, which are: “if, perhaps, rather, [and] because. It seems that this is the explanation: Since it is not general practice to swear unless he makes a promise to give or to do something for him, as we find with Boaz who said “I swear as Hashem lives, lie down, etc.” (Rus 3:13), by this he swore to keep his word, and the promises which he had promised. Something which one says that he would do, can also have the same meaning, since it is the general practice to swear [to verify] what he wants to do, so too, I will swear on account of the fury, that it is My intention to rage against the nations. “I shall lift My hand to heaven” to swear that “If I whet My saber to a gleam, etc.” Then the meaning of כי here is “because” and means because “if I change.” This is similar to “Until I have spoken” (Bereishis 24:33) which is [a form of] “that.” The meaning of the verse here is as follows: Since it is general practice to take an oath on a promise that one makes to his friend, so too I will do, and I will raise My hand to Myself and say, “As I live” which is the oath. The meaning of, “heavenward” is to Himself, Who is called “Heaven’” which is His Throne.” [The verse] does not mean to say that Hashem grasped heaven in His hand and swore by holding an object [which is customary when making an oath], because the purpose in taking an object when swearing is only to add concentration and awe to the oath. This is something that does not pertain to Hashem. Do not challenge me that it says, “The hand is on Hashem’s Throne” (Shemos 17:16) where Rashi explains “the hand of Hashem is raised to swear by His throne,” because nothing is written there to imply an oath, as it does here. (Re”m)

V. 40. נשא יד .כי אשא וגו׳ findet sich allerdings namentlich auch von Gott wiederholt als Ausdruck des Schwörens, so Schmot 6, 8 und sonst. Ebenso חי אני (nicht, wie hier חי אנכי) als Formel eines solchen Schwures, z. B. Bamidbar 14, 21 und 28. Allein נשא יד אל שמים findet sich nicht in diesem Sinne, dürfte auch von Gott gebraucht, wohl ungeeignet erscheinen, wie weiter ersichtlich entspräche auch nur חי אני dem Schwur, חי אנכי לעולם erscheint auch als ein durchaus selbständiger Satz der Aussage, und endlich wäre es Schwur, so würde, wie immer bei Schwüren, das folgende אם eine Verneinung bilden, wie חי אני אם אתם תבאו וגו׳ ,ואולם חי אני וגו׳ אם יראו וגו׳ (Bamidbar 14, 23 u. 30). Wir glauben daher, es in dem Sinne wie: אשא אל גוים ידי וגו׳ (Jes.49, 22) nehmen zu sollen, wo es das Entbieten zur Erfüllung einer Anforderung bedeutet. So auch hier: Ich entbiete den Himmel zur Vollstreckung meines Willens. חי אנכי וגו׳. Wir haben bereits (Bereschit 7, 4 und 32, 3) den Unterschied zwischen אני und אנכי, insbesondere im Ausspruch von Gott bemerkt. Während אני die Persönlichkeit im Gegensatz zur Welt und in ihrer absoluten Unabhängigkeit von derselben bedeutet — daher ja auch beim Schwur חי אני — drückt אנכי vielmehr die Persönlichkeit als umfassenden Träger, als dasjenige aus, worin die Welt ausschließlich ihren Halt und ihre Stütze findet. Es war hier zuvor gesagt, wie, wenn Israel erst ganz hilf- und hoffnungslos darniederliegt, ihm die Erfahrung werden soll, wie denn doch Gott allein der unveränderlich Bleibende sei, dem es nicht entgehen, zu dem es vielmehr zuletzt zurückkommen werde, um von Ihm, der es darniedergeworfen und geschlagen, wieder Leben und Heilung zu gewinnen. Denn, spricht Gott, wenn Israel erst ganz erstorben darniederliegt, dann "hebe ich meine Hand zu dem Himmel hin und spreche: Ich bin der ewig Lebendige!" Ich bin die Allmacht und das ewige Leben. Bin die Allmacht, und die Himmel vollstrecken nunmehr meinen heilenden und rettenden Willen an meinem Volk, wie sie die Vollstrecker meines Unwillens gewesen. Und bin das ewige Leben, bin der ewig Lebendige, und bins nicht nur an mir und für mich im Gegensatz zu allem sonst Dahinsterbenden, חי אנכי לעולם: bins für alles sonst Dahinsterbende, gebe dem Abgestorbenen Anteil an meinem ewigen Leben, wecke das Hingestorbenste, wecke Israel auf zu neuem Sein und neuem Leben.

כי אשא אל שמים ידי, “for I raise My hand to heaven!” I swear an oath as it is in My power to carry out My vengeance on them.

כי אשא אל שמים ידי, “for I lift up my hand to heaven;” as do human beings in order to ensure that the people present will listen to them.

ואמרתי חי אנכי — This is the expression of an oath: I SWEAR AS TRUE AS I LIVE [FOR EVER].

ואמרתי חי אנכי לעולם, I used the fact that I live forever as the guarantee that I can keep My oath. This too has a parallel in Daniel 12,7.

This denotes an oath. As if it had said, “By the life of Myself.” Not that He is informing that He is alive and eternal.

The verse may also mean that even the attribute of Mercy concurs to take vengeance on the enemies of the Lord, i.e. those who have proven themselves to be enemies of Israel. The word ולמשנאי, "and to those who make Me hated," refers to the people who seduced Israelites to give up their religion and thereby to express their hatred for G'd.

ואמרתי חי אנכי לעולם, “as I live forever, etc.” It is not unusual for G–d to accompany His oath with the reminder that His oath is valid as He lives forever. Compare Isaiah 49 18: חי אני נאום ה', “as surely as I am (and remain) alive, says the Lord;” as soon as I have completed My judgment of the Jewish people, I will turn My attention to all those gentiles who have infuriated Me as well as to their so called deities, and carry out My vengeance.

אם שנותי ברק חרבי means, IF I SHALL WHET THE BLADE OF MY SWORD, so that it shall have a flash (ברק); splendeur in old French

אם שנותי, even though I had sharpened the blade of My sword against the Jewish people during the time of their exile, את ברק חרבי, this was only the flashing appearance, not the פי החרב, the lethal part of the sword.

אם שנותי, from the root שנן, to sharpen. The same root is used in connection with sharpening a sword in Psalms 64,4 אשר שננו כחרב לשונם, “who have sharpened their tongue as if it were a sword.” The double consonant in the root שנן is similar to such roots as סבב and בלל. Just as these roots sometimes drop the last consonant, compare Samuel I 22,22 סבותי בכל נפש בית אביך or in Psalms 92,11 בלותי בשמן רענן, so in our verse instead of שננתי the Torah writes שנותי.

If I whet the blade of My saber. Rashi wants answer the question: How is it possible to sharpen lightning, which has no substance? Lightning is the appearance of a flash! Therefore he explains “the gleam, etc.” i.e. if I sharpen the iron of My saber. The word שינון always means “sharpening” and the blade of the sabre is [made of] iron, as in “the blade of his spear” (1 Shmuel 17:7). It is called להב (flash) because the sword as it flashes is similar to a flame. The word ברק (lightning) is like “לברק (to flash)” (Yechezkeil 21:20) which means [that He will whet it] to a gleam.

VV. 41 u. 42. אם שנתי וגו׳. Wenn es die Völker dahin kommen ließen, dass ich erst mein Schwert geschärft habe, um Gericht zu üben, sie nicht zeitig einen anderen Weg einschlagen, wenn sie צרי ומשנאי, wenn sie die Gegner und Hasser meiner Herrschaft und meines Sittengesetzes bleiben wollten, so dass ich rächend Vergeltung üben müsste, wenn ich so ihnen tun sollte, wie sie an Israel und an anderen Wehrlosen getan: dann müsste meine Rache blutig wild und grausam werden. — מדם חלל ושביה gehört zu מראש פרעות אויב ,אשכיר חצי מדם zu וחרבי תאכל בשר. Sie haben nicht nur חלל in der Schlacht, sondern auch שביה, wehrlose Gefangene getötet und haben die abgeschlagenen Köpfe triumphierend auf ihren Schwertern getragen — darum

ותאחז ידי, and My hand will hold on to judgment;” holding on to the sword with one’s hand, in order to administer justice.

ותאחז במשפט ידי AND MY HAND TAKE HOLD ON JUDGMENT — i.e., on strict justice, relinquishing (i.e. withdrawing) My attribute of mercy from My enemies who have done so much evil unto you, — “I was angry only a little, but they helped to do harm” (Zechariah 1:15). — but My hand shall grasp the attribute of justice to hold fast to it in order to take vengeance.

ותאחז במשפט ידי, and even though I was compelled to deal with them according to the rule of law, for כי ידין ה' עמו, “G’d does judge His people,” this does not mean that their adversaries will go free, rather

Discarding the attribute of compassion for My enemies. I.e. and My hand will grasp the attribute of judgment, to hold on to it in order to wreak vengeance, and to discard the [attribute of] compassion, and not use it for My enemies who were destructive to you. The phrase “and hold judgment in My grasp” is connected to the phrase “My enemies who were destructive to you,” not with “discarding the attribute of compassion.” The meaning of the verse is: “I raised My hand heavenward and swore by My life, that I will sharpen My sword until it gleams like lightning, as is the custom of those who go out to war. And hold judgment in My hand, to wreak vengeance on My enemies, to avenge them for their destructiveness to you. [As the verse states,] “Where I was a little angry, and they abetted destructiveness, etc.” (Zecharyah 1:15).

אשיב נקם וגו׳ I WILL RENDER VENGEANCE [TO MY ADVERSARIES]. — Our Rabbis derived in the Agada from the wording of the text which states, “And My hand shall hold the משפט fast”, that the nature of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like the nature of human beings: The nature of a human being is that when he shoots an arrow he cannot bring it back (i.e., cannot check its flight); the Holy One, blessed be He, however, shoots His arrows and it is in His power to bring them back as though He is still holding them in hand, for, you see, lightning is His arrow, for it states here ברק חרבי, “Lightning is my weapon, and my hand holds fast to משפט" (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:3). This משפט (i.e., משפט according to this explanation) has the meaning of punishment, in old French justicia, the execution of justice (the third definition given by Rashi on Exodus 28:15 of this word)

אשיב נקם לצרי, I will wreak vengeance on My foes, reprisals for what they have done to Israel. Compare Ezekiel 25,12 and 25,14 on this subject in detail.

Where I was a little angry, etc. Do not ask how is it that the nations sinned in this matter, since you were delivered into their hands [by Hashem] in order that you should suffer at their hands.

ולמשנאי אשלם, and I will pay back those who hate Me measure for measure, as spelled out in Ovadiah 15.

[Another interpretation.] I hold judgment in My grasp. According to the first explanation it is difficult, where is the attribute of compassion mentioned here? And according to the second explanation it is difficult because it should have written “My hand will grasp judgment.” Therefore Rashi gives the first explanation. And from my teacher, Maharal, I heard that the phrase, “another interpretation” is a copyist error, and it is all one explanation.

“Judgment” here denotes retribution. And so the word “He grasps” is connected with “My saber to a gleam,” for lightning is Hashem’s arrow, as it states, “And His arrow will go forth like lightning” (Zecharyah 9:14) referring to retribution. But according to its plain meaning we would not learn anything. For even when a mortal king sits in judgment is able to tip the verdict to whichever side he wishes. But now that Rashi explains it to mean “retribution” we certainly learn-–that “unlike the practice of mortals, etc.” According to the aggada, the order of the words in the verse is imprecise and it means, “And My hand grasp the lightning of My sword in judgment.”

אשכיר חצי מדם I WILL MAKE MY ARROWS DRUNK WITH BLOOD of the enemy,

פרעות, as in Leviticus 13,45 וראשו יהיה פרוע, “and the hair of his head shall grow wildly, untrimmed.” Basically, the word פרוע, describes something in disarray, undisciplined.

אשכיר חצי מדם וחרבי תאכל בשר , similar to Isaiah 66,16 כי באש ה' נשפט ובחרבו את כל בשר, “for the Lord will contend with fire, with His sword against all flesh.”

The enemy. The word “מדם” means the same as “מן דם האויב (with the blood of the enemy).” The [first] letter mem is not a [explaining the] reason, like the mem of “מדם חלל (for the blood of the slaughtered, etc.)” [in the next phrase of this verse]. The phrase “אשכיר (I shall make my arrows drunk” is similar to the phrase, “שכורת (drunk), but not from wine” (Yeshayah 51:21).

מראש פרעות אויב, “from the long-haired heads of the enemy;” The chiefs I have used to punish the enemy with.

אשכיר חצי מדם, “I will make My arrows drunk with blood.” Concerning this we read in Ezekiel 21,12: הנה באה ונהיתה נאם ה', “Behold!, it comes and has happened.” אשכיר חצי מדם, “how is it possible for arrows to become drunk with blood? The meaning is that G-d will make others drunk when they see what His arrows have accomplished. (Sifri)

וחרבי תאכל AND MY SWORD SHALL DEVOUR their FLESH.

מדם חלל ושביה, as in the same verse in Isaiah ורבו חללי ה' “many will be the ones slain by the Lord.”

This will befall them because of their guilt over the blood of the slaughtered [Israelites], etc. He explains that the first mem of the word מדם [explains] the reason. Re”m explains: This retribution that I spoke of, “I shall make My arrows drunk, etc. is because of the sin of the dead, not because of the Jews who were killed. And “from the blood of the slaughtered” means the opposite, as if it had said “from the corpses’ blood.” Because the sin which they committed was due to blood. When it writes above, “I will make My arrows drunk from their blood” it does not mean from the blood of the corpses, but it refers to the blood mentioned at the beginning of the verse. It is a metaphor. The drunkenness of His arrows is only from drinking so much blood of the enemies, as if the arrows that were shot at the enemy drinks so much of his blood that they become drunk.

וחרבי תאכל בשר, “and My sword shall devour flesh.” How is it possible for a sword to devour flesh? It means that G-d will arrange for others to be fed with meat as a result of what My sword has accomplished. This can be compared to what Ezekiel wrote in Ezekiel 39,17: בן אדם אמור לצפור כל כנף ולכל חית השדה האספו מסביב על זבחי, “Now you, Ben Adam, says My Lord, Hashem, say to every winged bird and to the beasts in the field: ‘gather around Me, and take part in My feast,’ etc.” Our author quotes several more verses from Scripture containing a similar message; (Ezekiel 39,18, 39,19, including the use of the word “becoming drunk.”) This is the interpretation given by Sifri.

מדם חלל ושביה FROM THE BLOOD OF THE SLAIN AND THE CAPTIVE i.e., this will happen to them because of the sin of those slain in Israel (i.e., on account of their blood; מדם), and because of the captives they have made amongst them,

For the iniquity of the original devastation by the enemy, etc. Because it is connected with “from the blood of the slaughtered, and the captives,” which means, the sin of corpses and the sin of captives. If so, Rashi also needs to explain “for the original savagery of the enemy” as “from the sin of the head of the wildest enemy.” The word פרעות means “savagery.” And because the beginning of their savagery was against Yisroel, from the time of the ancestors of these, we learn from here that “when Hashem punishes the nations he invokes against them, etc.” And because it is not clear that the beginning of the enemy’s savagery was against Yisroel, Rashi had to repeat and explain from the original devastation which they perpetrated against Yisroel. (Re”m)

מדם חלל ושביה, “from the blood of the slain and the captives (wounded?)” from what My arrows have done to the slain and the wounded of My people

מראש פרעות אויב — because of the sin of even the very first (ראש) breach (פרעות) made by the enemy (פרצות = פרעות); because when the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts punishment from the heathen nations for the wrongs they have inflicted upon Israel, He visits on them their own sin and the sins of their ancestors, from the very first breach they have made in Israel (Sifrei Devarim 332:5).

מראש פרעות אויב, “from the longhaired head of the enemy.” This verse has been truncated; it should read: מפרעות ראש אויב, “from the long haired enemy chiefs.”

Rabbi Nechemyah interprets the whole sequence commencing with verse 27:

27.דינו רמה וגו' פן יאמרו, completely differently, understanding it as being addressed to the nations of the world.

28. כי גוי אובד עצות המה, “for any of the gentile nations are each a nation completely deprived of counsel, seeing that they do not even observe the seven basic laws given by the Lord to all of mankind, and they do not practice them.

29. לו חכמו, “had they possessed any wisdom;” if they had possessed any wisdom they would have understood that if one man could have put a thousand of the enemy to flight, this could never have been possible by natural means, but only because this one man had been supported by a superior heavenly force, i.e. the G-d Who had taken the Jewish people out of Egypt. Similarly, if now one of their enemies could frighten a thousand of them, this could also only have been possible because their G-d had abandoned them at that point.

יבינו לאחריתם, they would have realised that something similar or worse would happen to them for having enslaved the Jewish people, G-d’s people, as we know from verse 35 וחש עתידות למו, “this will come to pass speedily.”

30. אם לא כי צורם מכרם, “unless their Rock had sold them.” This is the only reason why a single gentile had been able to put a thousand of them to flight. All of this the gentile nations should have understood.

31. כי לא כצורנו צורם, “for their Rock is not like our rock, i.e. weak.” This is also why our enemies the Jewish people, in the past had been able to lord it over us.

32. כי מגפן סדום גפנם, “why did their Rock sell them? Because they acted as if their origin had been the vines of Sodom, and because they behaved at if they had been planted in Amorah. We have proof of this from the writings of Isaiah 3,9: “they avow their sins like Sodom and they do not conceal them.” None of them are good, they have all become confirmed sinners, but for the longest time due to their G-d’s patience he had not demanded an accounting from them.

34. הלא הוא כמוס עמדי, “what the gentile nations have been saying about them, i.e. that they originated in Sodom and Amorah, is quite untrue; in fact I, the Lord have planted them as a noble plant.” (Jeremiah 2,21)

35. לי נקם ושלם, “vengeance is Mine and the right to pay back the gentile nations;”לעת תמוט רגלם, “at the time when their feet shall slip.” (that of the gentile nations) כי קרוב ים אידם, “for the day of their calamity is near.”

36. כי ידין, “for He will judge (those nations);” כי יראה, “when He sees;” Why will He choose that time to exact vengeance? because these nations had taken advantage of the Jewish people when these had been at a point in their fortunes.

37. The gentile nations had called out with glee: “where is their famous G-d now?”

38. אשר חלב זבחימו יאכלו, “the G-d of Israel will consume the fate of its offerings;” יקומו ויעזרכם, “may they (these deities) arise and help you.” Seeing that the gentiles have blasphemed in such a manner the G-d of Israel will duly punish them.

39. ראו עתה כי אני הוא, the reader is referred to the author’s commentary on this verse on page 12-13.

ואין מידי מציל, “and no one can save them from My hand.” This is G-d’s reply to the sarcastic words of the gentiles in verse 38.

הרנינו גוים עמו SING ALOUD, O YE NATIONS, OF HIS PEOPLE — At that time (when I shall take vengeance on them) the nations will praise Israel (Sifrei Devarim 333:2): “See, how praiseworthy is this people, — that they have cleaved to the Holy One, blessed be He, amidst all the troubles which have passed over them, and have not forsaken Him, for they had constantly experienced His goodness and His excellence”.

הרנינו גויים, “you who are the arrows of the Lord and His sword make the nations acclaim, sing aloud! So that they will realise that G’d is fair and does not commit any injustice. Compare Psalms 67,5 ישמחו וירננו לאומים כי תשפוט עמים מישור,”nations will exult and shout for joy, for You rule the peoples with equity”

הרנינו גוים עמו, "O nations, sing the praises of His people, etc." Moses means that when the time comes that G'd exacts retribution from the nations, from the enemies of the Jewish people, the other nations will praise the Israelites and jubilate and elevate them, as we know from Psalms 144,19: "Hail to the people who experience this."

הרנינו גוים (על) עמו, similar in meaning to the word הללו in Psalms 117,1 הללו את ה' כל גוים, “praise the Lord all you nations, etc.” Just as the psalmist calls upon the nations to acknowledge G’d, to praise Him and exalt Him for the loving kindness He has shown His creatures, so Moses concludes here with a similar call addressed to these same nations at the time of the redemption of mankind, or those who deserve it, to praise the Lord because they have finally seen what He has done for His people. By addressing them already now, Moses implies that G’d would relate to them similarly if they would take all these lessons to heart as of now (and convert to Judaism).

וכפר אדמתו עמו, “He will grant atonement to His land and for His people.” According to some commentators mentioned by Ibn Ezra, the word עמו should really have the letter ו in front of it, so that the meaning of the phrase would be: “He will provide atonement for its land and for its people.” An allegorical approach taken by the Midrash is that the land is seen as atoning of behalf of its people. [The idea is that the land, for many years neglected, serves as the scapegoat for the Jewish people who had neglected to observe the laws of sh’mittah. Ed.] Ibn Ezra personally, understands the phrase as a promise that in due course, the gentiles who had shed so much innocent Jewish blood on that land, will at that time atone for all this when the Jews will take their vengeance on them. The retribution for innocent blood spilled must be undertaken by the victimized party or their offspring, (their blood avengers), whose blood had been shed, so that in the war preceding the redemption, Jews will kill their adversaries, the ones who had contaminated the soil of the Holy Land in former years. Ibn Ezra quotes Job 14,19 and Ezekiel 43,20 as verses in which such concepts also appear. Yet another interpretation of our phrase understands the word as meaning the same as וטהר, “it will purify, cleanse.” Israel, when the time comes, will cleanse its soil from all kinds of contaminations it had been exposed to in the interval since its people went into exile.

הרנינו גוים עמו, “O nations, sing the praises of His people!” When the Jewish people are loyal to their traditions, to the Torah, then the nations of the world sing their praises. They admire the fact that even when exiled, the Jewish people hold fast to their beliefs and do not try to assimilate themselves (compare Rashi). Alternatively, the word הרנינו is derived from רנה in the sense of “proclamation,” i.e. the nations everywhere will proclaim about this people that the Lord has avenged their blood. The word would be used here in the same manner as in Kings I 22,36 ויעבור הרנה, “a shout went through (the camp).”

For theft, etc. Not for bloodshed, for it already stated, “He will avenge the blood of His servants.”

V. 43. הרנינו גוים עמו. Vergl. ברכת אובד עלי תבא ולב אלמנה ארנין (Job 29, 13), darum ruft Gott, indem er Israel unter die Völker hinstreut: Machet heiter meines Volkes Los, behandelt sie nicht unmenschlich und grausam! Drei Motive werden dem Aufruf הרנינו גוים עמו beigegeben. כי דם עבדיו יקם: Israels Zerstreute treten als עבדיו, als den Namen Gottes tragend, nach ihm gekennzeichnet in die Mitte der Völker, in diesem Gott lebt ein Rächer eines jeden unschuldig vergossenen Blutes derselben; נקם ישיב לצריו: jede Verletzung der Anforderungen des Rechts und der Menschlichkeit lässt Gott auf die Schuldigen zurückfallen, die in Verleugnung der Rechts- und Menschlichkeitspflichten Seine Herrschaft verleugnen, seine צריו sind; und — וכפר אדמתו עמו und sein Volk soll seine Menschenerde sühnen, in der Besserbehandlung seines Volkes soll die in dem Gehorsam gegen sein Sittengesetz sich betätigende endliche Huldigung der Gottesherrschaft auf Erden ihren Ausdruck, und damit das unter Verleugnung derselben so vielfach auf der Menschenerde gegen Recht und Menschtum Gesündigte seinen sühnenden Abschluss finden — die Behandlung Israels wird zum Gradmesser der Gotteshuldigung auf Erden, so dass der Autritt des Gottesreichs auf Erden Hand in Hand geht mit dem Aufhören der völkergeschichtlichen Misshandlung Israels. — So schließt Jesaias Kap. 66, 20: והביאו את כל אחיכם מכל הגוים מנחה לד׳ וגו׳ על הר קדשי ׳ירושלים אמר ד׳ כאשר יביאו בני ישראל את המנחה בכלי טהור בית ד, und sie bringen eure Brüder alle von allen Völkern Gott zur Huldigungsgabe zum Berge meines Heiligtums hinan, wie Jisraels Söhne das Huldigungsopfer in reinem Geräte zum Gotteshause bringen. —

הרנינו גוים עמו, sing aloud, o you nations;” then the nations of the universe will break out in a song of jubilation, praising the Jewish people for whom G–d has taken vengeance, as will be spelled out forthwith.

הרנינו גוים עמו “sing aloud o you nations!” this is not a song of joy but a lament, similar to what we read in Lamentations 2,19: קומי רני בלילה, “arise cry out in the night!” These words are addressed to the nations which have enslaved the Jewish people. Why are these nations now to sing songs of mourning? Because G-d is avenging the innocent blood of Jews that has been spilled by them. An alternate interpretation of the words הרניו, etc.; “sing a song of praise nations, before the Lord!” Who are the “nations” that are supposed to sing this song of praise? The Israelites His people, seeing that He has avenged their blood. A third interpretation of this line: all the nations are urged to sing of praise of G-d’s people, the Jewish people. He has avenged their oppressors, i.e. the blood of His servants.

כי דם עבדיו יקם FOR HE WILL AVENGE THE BLOOD OF HIS SERVANTS — i.e., the shedding of their blood, as the phrase usually implies.

עמו, His people shall give thanks with shouts of joy and music, כי דם עבדיו יקום ונקם ישיב לצריו, for He does avenge the blood of His servants. G’d punishes the nations by avenging what they have done to the Jewish people.