Comentário sobre Deuteronômio 32:32

כי מגפן סדם גפנם FOR THEIR VINE IS OF THE VINE OF SODOM — This is to be connected with what is stated above, (v. 26, verses 27—31 being a parenthesis): “I said in My heart, I would scatter them into corners and make the remembrance of them cease…” because (כי) their doings are as the doings of Sodom and Gomorrah.

FOR THEIR VINE IS OF THE VINE OF SODOM. He is stating that the idolaters are void of counsel¹²¹Verse 28. and they have not understood, neither apprehended, nor thought of anything but evil continually,¹²²Genesis 6:5. for they were of evil root and they grow only evil and bitter fruit; he that eateth of them dieth.¹²³Isaiah 59:5. And the explanation thereof is that Israel admits, confesses, and repents in time of trouble, saying, and why has all this befallen us?¹²⁴Judges 6:13. But the idolater is void of counsel, he hath no counsel and no understanding,¹²⁵Job 12:13. but only walks after his idol and forever denies the Glorious Name,¹²⁶Above, 28:58. for this is what he inherited from his fathers. Thus he is of a root that beareth gall and wormwood,¹²⁷Ibid., 29:17. and no usefulness will ever be found in them. But Israel whose root is good if it be cut down, then it will sprout again¹²⁸Job 14:7. and grow good fruit.

כי מגפן סדום גפנם, the reason that in this matter they do not display their customary insights is that they boast about their secure and unthreatened existence, concerning themselves exclusively with physical gratifications just as had the people of Sodom. In order to attain their maximum gratification they completely eschewed all manner of caring for the less fortunate, as testified to by Ezekiel 16,49 when the prophet said הנה זה היה עוון סדום אחותך, גאון שבעת לחם ושלות השקט היה לה ולבנותיה ויד עני ואביון לא החזיקה. “only this was the sin of your sister Sodom; arrogance! She and her daughters had plenty of bread and untroubled tranquility. Yet she did not support the poor and the needy. “