Cytowanie Komentarza do Psalmów 8:3

A Midrashic approach: the word ויאמרו refers to infants reciting the שירה. The word לאמור is a reference to the unborn children within the wombs of their mothers. This is in line with Sotah 30 where we are told: “how did the Israelites recite the שירה?” Answer; a slightly older infant while he was lying on his mother’s knees; a still younger infant while he was nursing at his mother’s breast. As soon as the infant lying on his mother’s knees became aware of the presence of the Shechinah he raised his neck, whereas the suckling infant let go of his mother’s nipple and both recited: זה אלי ואנוהו, “this is my G’d let me exalt Him.” The Midrash is based on Psalms 8,3 מפי עוללים ויונקים, “from the mouths of infants and sucklings.” Even embryos in the wombs of their mothers said the שירה as we know from Psalms 68,27: “in assemblies bless G’d, the Lord, O you who are the fountain of Israel.” [The words ברכו...ממקור were a call to unborn babies. compare Midrash Tehillim there. Ed.]

When the Torah speaks of ומצאה קוצים, this is a reference to the wicked who are considered nothing but painful thorns. The expression ומצאה may be understood in a sense similar to Deut. 31,21 that "trouble befell them." The justification for using the word מצאה is that the wicked have no one who is responsible for them, either benevolently or otherwise. Wickedness means rejection of authority. G'd is the only true authority, and He has abandoned them as a result of their deliberate wickedness. Anything that happens in their lives subsequently is in the nature of a מציאה, a find, something one comes upon accidentally. Anyone who encounters such a person may do to him what he wants without divine interference. The verse also informs us that once fire has been given permission to act destructively, i.e. as the attribute of Justice, it will not only burn the thorns but it will also consume the stack of corn (the good, the useful). The choice of the word גדיש is an allusion to youngsters studying Torah, children who have not yet attained the height of adults, i.e. קמה. They are swept away together with the guilty as part of the troubles sweeping society. According to Shir Hashirim Rabbah on Song of Songs 1,4, when G'd was about to give the Jewish people the Torah He demanded guarantors that the people would continue to observe it. After having turned down the patriarchs as suitable guarantors, the Midrash relates that G'd accepted the people's children as their guarantors. This is the meaning of Psalms 8,3: "from the mouths of infants and sucklings You have established strength, etc." As a result of this arrangement the attribute of Justice is entitled to include such children in retribution when these forces are at work.

Zeror ha-Mor writes: “May my discourse come down as the rain” [32:2]. Moses said: when heaven and earth should remain still, the fools would say that this is not possible, since the world would end when the constellations and heaven stand still. Therefore, Moses said: my teaching should drip like rain. That is to say, when I will teach Torah, then the world will have an existence through my words. It will receive rain and dew through my words, when heaven and the constellations will stand still, since the heavens have their light from the light of the Torah. The righteous person who studies is greater than the constellations. Concerning this, the verse says, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name throughout the earth” [Psalms 8:2]. The angels said: how strong is the name of our Lord on the earth, as the verse says, “You who have covered the heavens with Your splendor” [Psalms, 8:2], that the people on the earth give light and splendor to the heavens. If you want to ask, from where does this come, therefore, the verse says further in the same Psalm, “from the mouths of infants and sucklings, You have founded strength” [Psalms, 8:3]. That is to say, the Torah that the children study; from this comes the splendor in heaven and the light in heaven and on the earth. Zeror ha-Mor further writes, “may my discourse come down as the rain” [32:2]. My words in the portion are like a great rain that tears out all the trees and vegetation and does much damage. So too are my words here, that I will punish the people with harsh words that the Holy One will punish them with all kinds of punishment when they will not keep the Torah and God’s commandments. Therefore, Moses said: when my words are heavy like a rain, yet, “my speech distill as the dew” [32:2]. It will drip from the harsh words and punishments like the dew that gives joy to the people. That is to say, the Holy One punishes the one he loves, that he should remember to be pious and should not do any evil. Therefore, Moses also says, “like showers on your growth” [32:2]. My words are like a great wind that comes on the grass and on the grain, as if it would tear out the grain or the vegetation and destroy it. The truth is that this is very good for the grain or vegetation; it grows better because of this. The same strong wind makes the grain very strong. However, the people are very frightened by this wind, since they do not understand it. So too, are my words in the portion. They frighten the people, that I will punish the people when they will be evil. However, in truth the words are very good for the people, that they will become pious and will have blessings from these words. Therefore, the verse also says, “for the name of the Lord I proclaim” [32:3]. When I will call on God, and whoever will say something about God, whether it be good or evil in your eyes, you should give praise and reverence to God.⁶Zeror ha-Mor, Deuteronomy, 32:2–3.