וּסְקַלְתּ֥וֹ בָאֲבָנִ֖ים וָמֵ֑ת כִּ֣י בִקֵּ֗שׁ לְהַדִּֽיחֲךָ֙ מֵעַל֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ הַמּוֹצִיאֲךָ֛ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים׃
I ukamionujesz go na śmierć za to, że pragnął odwieść cię od Wiekuistego, Boga twojego, który cię wywiódł z ziemi Micraim, z domu niewoli.
Kli Yakar
Between Paran and between Tophel. The phrase between… and between gives me room to add my own hand and explain it about that which occurs between the 17th of Tammuz and the ninth of Av. For “Paran” refers to the incident of the spies, where they cried needlessly, and crying was established for generations on the night of the ninth of Av. And “Tophel” refers to the golden calf that they made. For what Rashi explained, that they complained about [made “taflu”] the manna, has no parallel in Scripture. It would have been more appropriate if Rashi had explained it from the language Can that which is tasteless [tafeil] be eaten without salt? (Job 6:6), for anything without taste is called “tafeil,” and this would have agreed with Rashi’s words.
But according to our approach, it makes more sense that “tophel” alludes to the incident of the golden calf, because we find this term used for idolatry in several places. In Jeremiah (23:13) it is written: And in the prophets of Samaria I have seen folly [tiflah]; they prophesied by Baal, etc. And it is written (Lamentations 2:14): Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive [tafeil] visions, etc. And similarly, Ezekiel called them plasterers of folly [tafeil] (13:11). And so said the makers of the golden calf, These are your gods, O Israel (Exodus 32:4). With this, they attributed falsehood [tiflah] to God, and this occurred on the 17th of Tammuz, and on that same day the tablets were broken. And the breaking of these stones was established for generations, for on the 17th of Tammuz the wall of the city and its stones were breached.
And between these two boundaries, Israel lies crouching between the borders, and this is the meaning of between… and between mentioned here, as it is written (Lamentations 1:3): All her pursuers overtook her between the straits. For between the sin of the golden calf and the sin of the spies, [Israel] crouched and bowed down, and they could not rise, because naturally there is no salvation from the distress of the enemy except in one of two ways, or both together: Either through the providence of God, who saves all who cling to Him, even if they are not naturally strong, nevertheless when they fulfill you shall love the Lord your God, which causes attachment to God, then He saves all who cling to Him; or naturally, when they fulfill love your neighbor as yourself. Then each person helps his fellow, even if they are sinners and God has departed from them. Still, they have some hope naturally if the heavenly orchestration does not oppose them.
But according to our approach, it makes more sense that “tophel” alludes to the incident of the golden calf, because we find this term used for idolatry in several places. In Jeremiah (23:13) it is written: And in the prophets of Samaria I have seen folly [tiflah]; they prophesied by Baal, etc. And it is written (Lamentations 2:14): Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive [tafeil] visions, etc. And similarly, Ezekiel called them plasterers of folly [tafeil] (13:11). And so said the makers of the golden calf, These are your gods, O Israel (Exodus 32:4). With this, they attributed falsehood [tiflah] to God, and this occurred on the 17th of Tammuz, and on that same day the tablets were broken. And the breaking of these stones was established for generations, for on the 17th of Tammuz the wall of the city and its stones were breached.
And between these two boundaries, Israel lies crouching between the borders, and this is the meaning of between… and between mentioned here, as it is written (Lamentations 1:3): All her pursuers overtook her between the straits. For between the sin of the golden calf and the sin of the spies, [Israel] crouched and bowed down, and they could not rise, because naturally there is no salvation from the distress of the enemy except in one of two ways, or both together: Either through the providence of God, who saves all who cling to Him, even if they are not naturally strong, nevertheless when they fulfill you shall love the Lord your God, which causes attachment to God, then He saves all who cling to Him; or naturally, when they fulfill love your neighbor as yourself. Then each person helps his fellow, even if they are sinners and God has departed from them. Still, they have some hope naturally if the heavenly orchestration does not oppose them.
German Commentary
lasst uns gehen und Götzendienst treiben. Danach würden auch die Verführer einer ganzen Stadt mit Steinigung bestraft. Dies ist die Ansicht der Rabbinen (gegen R. Simon, oben Note 94.) Es erklärt deshalb Rab Aschi im Babli in der Tat, dass der Anfang unserer Mischna die Ansicht R. Simon’s und der Schluss die der Rabbinen ist: אמר רב אשי אין רישא ר״ש וסיפא רבנן. Dieser Satz fehlt in den Ausgaben, findet sich aber im Ms. München und im יד רמה. Nach einer andern Erklärung im Talmud meint auch der Anfang der Mischna wie die Ansicht der Rabbinen, indem das Wort הדיוט (Laie, Privatmann) nicht einen Propheten oder eine ganze Stadt vom Gesetze ausschliessen, sondern nur diese Fälle erst später behandeln will. — Nach Jerusch, sind die Ausdrücke מסית und מדיח so voneinander zu unterscheiden: מסית אומר בלשון גבוה והמדיח אומר בלשון נמוך״ ״ מסית אומר בלשון הקדש ומדיח אומר בלשון הדיוט „Der Überreder spricht in lauter Sprache, der Verleiter spricht in leiser Sprache; der Überreder spricht in heiliger (hebräischer) Sprache, der Verleiter spricht in vulgärer Sprache.“ — Man könnte in der Mischna noch folgenden Unterschied finden: dem מסית kommt es darauf an, für einen bestimmten Götzenkult Anhänger zu werben. Er preist deshalb diesen Götzen (יש יראה במקום פלוני וכו׳). Dem מדיח dagegen kommt es hauptsächlich darauf an, von Gott abtrünnig zu machen בקש להדיחך מעל ה׳ א׳ (Deut. 13, 11). Ihm ist es einerlei, welchem Götzen man dient, er sagt deshalb nur: נלך ונעבוד ע״א.