민수기 25:2의 인용 해설

A kabbalistic approach: The words 'ושבתה הארץ שבת לה' do not refer to individual parcels of land belonging to individual farmers but refer to the earth as a whole and are an allusion to the seventh millennium following the six thousand years when our terrestrial universe functions normally. They are a reference to the 1000-year transitional period when the earth will be desolate, unfit as a habitat for living creatures (compare Rosh Hashanah 31). That millennium is one described as “eternal rest” (Tamid 7,4), a reference to the world to come after physical resurrection has occurred. According to this concept the Shemittah discussed in our verse would be a cessation of agricultural activity which is not voluntary but imposed by the conditions prevailing in the universe at that time. [This does not replace the normal meaning of the verses 3-8 which speak about what happens every seven years. It only explains the halachically unnecessary words that “the land shall observe rest for Hashem” (verse 2) — Ed.] The observance of a bird’s eye view of what will be in the future, i.e. what we may term a “miniature” shemittah is intended for us to focus on the eventual meaning of the concept. All the severe penalties connected with failure to observe the legislation of Shemittah and Yovel, especially the fact that non-observance is the cause of our losing our homeland and going into exile, is all due to the fact that this legislation is to give us an inkling of a much grander concept G’d has in mind for the existence of the physical universe and the message that an imperfect terrestrial universe is eventually to metamorphose into a perfect terrestrial universe. (Compare 26,34 on the collective penalties for non-observance and Avot 5,9 spelling out the worldwide ramifications of failure to observe the laws of sanctifying the seventh year.)

In the Jerusalem Talmud Makkot there is a comment that the fact that the belt was folded is derived from the words והפילו השופט, “the judge shall cast him down” (verse 2), suggesting that the word והפילו may be read instead as והכפילו, “he shall double him over.” As to the reason why one third of the lashes are administered to the chest and the remainder to the back, this is based on the verse והכהו לפניו כדי רשעתו, which is understood in Makkot 23 as “corresponding to one wickedness in front and the other two thirds on his back.” The word יכנו, להכותו are understood as referring to two beatings. Had the Torah wanted all the strokes to be administered to one part of the body only it should merely have written the word והכהו לפניו, “he will beat him on his front (chest).” As it is, the word for striking is used three times instead of merely once, i.e. והכהו, יכנו, להכותו. This teaches that one third of the strokes are to be administered to the chest and the other two thirds to the back.

ונקלה אחיך בעיניך, “and your brother would be degraded in your eyes.” Until the moment when he received the additional blow, the Torah referred to him simply as רשע, wicked, i.e. והרשיעו את הרשע, (verse 1), or והיה אם בן הכות הרשע or כדי רשעתו (verse 2). As soon as the guilty party has submitted and received his punishment the Torah once more refers to him as אחיך, “your brother.” Our sages use this verse to prove that all the people whose transgression would have made them guilty of the karet penalty will be exonerated if instead they subjected themselves to the penalty of 39 lashes (Megillah 7, our author repeats this). They understand the words ונקלה אחיך in the sense of “after degrading oneself one is once more entitled to be regarded as ‘your brother.’”
This exoneration which the sages in Megillah speak of does not apply to the corporal punishment administered by the court nowadays, known as מכת מרדות, striking the rebellious for violating rabbinic commandments. Its purpose is only to shame the party into not violating the statutes of the rabbis which were introduced in their capacity as authorized agents of the Torah again. Ezekiel 16,63 makes it plain that feeling ashamed of one’s sins is a precondition of exoneration, i.e. “that you may remember and feel shame and have no more excuse because of your humiliation when I have forgiven you all that you have done.” What we described applies to the administering of the thirty nine lashes with the guilty person having his hands tied, etc., etc., as we described the procedure during the period of the Talmud. You will note that the numerical value of the letters in the word אחיך is 39, just as the numerical value of the letters in the word אלה, in verse 3 is 39 if you count the letters each as 1 plus their numerical values.