시편 118:22의 인용 해설

from you shall emerge for Me—the Messiah, son of David, and so Scripture says (Ps. 118:22): “The stone the builders had rejected became a cornerstone.”

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.

“A land in which you will not eat bread in poverty, etc.” Our Sages interpreted (Taanit 4a): A land whose stones are iron — do not read it as stones [avaneha] but as “builders” [boneha]. These are the Torah scholars who engage in building the world, and they sharpen each other like iron. What prompted them to interpret this verse about Torah learners instead of its literal meaning? It seems they found it difficult because this verse begins with matters of eating bread, and afterward it says and you shall eat and be satisfied. How could there be a gap between these connected ideas, interrupted by talk of iron? Rather, certainly this all speaks of the conduct of Torah learners, for such is the way of Torah: bread with salt shall you eat (Avot 6:4).
The explanation is that in this land, you will not eat bread in poverty and destitution as it is, for you shall not lack anything in it. Rather, because it is a land whose stones/builders are iron — they sharpen each other in halakhic discussion, and they will have such desire for Torah that they will not demand “where are the sacrifices, slaughter sheep and cattle,” but will be satisfied with bread alone. And do not say that because of this their strength will diminish; on the contrary, they will be strong as iron, for the Torah will increase their strength.
Regarding the interpretation of avaneha [its stones] as “boneha” [its builders], this explanation is not necessary, because it is common in Scripture to refer to distinguished people as stones, as in the stone that the builders rejected (Psalms 118:22), the stones of a crown, lifted up as a banner (Zechariah 9:16), the cornerstone (Zechariah 4:7), and many others.
And of them it says, and you shall eat and be satisfied, for the righteous person eats to satisfy his soul, whether he eats little or much. And similarly, what it says and from its mountains refers to distinguished people who are called by the name of mountains, as it is said Hear, O mountains, the Lord’s contention (Micah 6:2). From them you will mine copper [nechoshet], for their bite is the bite of a serpent [neshichatan neshichat nachash] (Avot 2:15), and the wordplay is fitting.

when the basest to the sons of men is elevated Heb. כרם זלות לבני אדם [They walk on all sides] because of their envy, for they are jealous of my greatness, that I was taken from behind the sheep to be a king. This is the interpretation of כרם זלות לבני אדם: when a man considered by the sons of men to be base is elevated. This is on the order of the passage elsewhere (below 118:22): “The stone that the builders rejected became a cornerstone.” The Midrash Aggadah interprets it concerning Israel in the future, when they will be elevated. [Unknown Midrashic source] Menachem interprets כרם זלות לבני אדם (pp. 78, 164): like a gluttonous wild ox to devour the sons of men. Accordingly, כרם is rendered: like a רים or ראם, and זלות is like (Deut. 21:20) זולל וסבא, “a glutton and a drunkard.” The following is its interpretation: The wicked walk on all sides around the poor man; the wicked walk to swallow him for naught, as a wild ox to swallow the sons of men.