신명기 4:24의 유대 사상

Shemot Rabbah 7 states that G-d revealed the course of events to Moses so that the latter would not be dumbfounded by the apparently counterproductive results of his mission to Pharaoh. Even so, Moses was appalled, asking G-d: "Why have You caused things to get worse since I have come to Pharaoh?" This is what Solomon meant in Kohelet 7,7, "Oppression causes the wise to become foolish." Even a Moses can become confused in his faith when confronted by excessive oppression and apparent injustice. At any rate, G-d ascribes Pharaoh's obstinacy to Pharaoh himself, not to Divine interference. Maimonides's reason for Sichon King of the Emorites having been denied the exercise of free will when he denied the Israelites passage through his country seems inadequate. Why was his sin worse than that of the kings of Edom and Moab who did not have their freedom of choice interfered with according to Maimonides (compare Deuteronomy 2,30)? Most difficult however, is the thought frequently expressed in scriptures that the gates of repentance are never closed (Jeremiah 3, Psalms 25, to quote but a few).

(The reason for the length of the present exile has been discussed in chapter thirty three in connection with Jacob's blessings) "attah hareyta la-daat," you have been allowed visual evidence. (4,35) Vis a vis those who scoff at our ironclad confidence in redemption, Moses reminds us that our collective experience of revelation is so much superior to those who ridicule our faith, that their reasoning should have no impact on our thinking at all. If our relationship with G'd is similar to the relationship of the bride to her betrothed, G'ds abiding anger can be understood better. In the betrothal ceremony, we refer to the fact that the betrothed is forbidden both to the groom and anyone else. An unusual benediction. However, since prior to the betrothal, the young lady was available to any potential suitor, betrothal results in her becoming universally unavailable; to her groom she is not yet available, to anyone else no more. Thus, since the gentile nations have never been betrothed to G'd, there was no reason for G'd to be jealous of their conduct; they could not have been disloyal, loyalty never having been demanded of them. In the case of the Jewish people, loyalty had been promised, indeed was a condition of the relationship. The lengthy exile then is a manifestation of G'ds jealousy.

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