Komentarz do Powtórzonego Prawa 32:26

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.